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vessels from places where mosquitoes are known to be prevalent have been fumi-
gated before being permitted to enter the port. For these and all other measures
connected with the procedure necessary to prevent the entry of communicable
diseases, the United States Government is responsible," and they maintain a
well-equipped quarantine station conducted by officers of the Public Health and
Marine Hospital Service. It is situated on an artificial island of about 40 acres
in area and is connected by a slipway with an isolated wharf to which ships
requiring disinfection can be moored, and on which there are disinfecting sheds,
apparatus and other arrangements such that passengers, crew and their effects
can be quickly and efficiently dealt with and afterwards conveyed to the quaran-
tine station without contact with the harbour or town. On the island itself
every potential breeding place of mosquitoes has been done away with, and
although it is possible that mosquitoes from the town might reach the island
(towards which the prevailing winds blow) every building upon it is efficiently
screened against their entry. The houses and appurtenances are sufficient for
the proper handling at one time of 30 sick persons, 100 first class cabin passen-
gers, 300 second class passengers, 600 emigrants and 1,600 troops. The station
is equipped with excellent water-supply and water-carriage sewerage systems,
electric light and telephone plant, steam laundry, disinfecting apparatus, crema-
torium, hospital, dispensary, detention rooms and bacteriological laboratory, all
the buildings being kept in a state of perfect order and preparedness.
JAPANESE AND CHINESE PORTS.
From Honolulu towards the countries in the eastern hemisphere the trade
routes are northward to Japan or southward to New Zealand and Australia, the
northward being the route for ships bound for Hong Kong. Yokohama, the
first port of call, is 3,379 miles from Honolulu and the journey in a full powered
steamship occupies about ten days. Kobe, the next port of call, is 350 miles
further, and Nagasaki, by way of the Inland Sea, another 388. I visited those
three ports and the city of Tokyo between the 7th and 14th cf February. They
lie between the 32nd and 35th degrees of north latitude and although the occur-
rence of outbursts of yellow fever in them during the summer months would not
be surprising, the severe cold of winter would certainly prevent the disease from
becoming endemic. I have only the scantiest information to record regarding
conditions in these ports. The season of my visit was not suitable for ascertain-
ing by personal observation the species and prevalence of mosquitoes, for the
temperature even at midday was not higher than 45° F. and strong cold winds
prevailed ; and although I was enabled, through the kindness of the Consuls
General of Great Britain and the United States, to interview at Yokohama the chief
Japanese port and sanitary authorities and the medical officer of the United States
Public Health Service who is attached to the American Consulute, and at Tokyo
the staff of the Imperial Bacteriological Institute I did not learn more than that
stegomyia mosquitoes are thought to be among those that are troublesome in
the summer but that no special investigation had been made. So far as I could
ascertain, the increased danger of the entry of yellow fever into Japan as a
result of the construction of the Panama Canal had not as yet engaged the attention
of the Japanese authorities in the port of Yokohama, but they were greatly
interested in the steps taken by the Government of India in the matter and it
appeared to me possible that my visit might lead to the consideration of special
precautions.
From the appended copy of the present quarantine laws of the Imperial
Government it will be seen that for preventing the entry of infectious diseases
into Japan reliance is at present placed upon the sanitary inspection of ships
(except junks, fishing boats and the like) which arrive at the seven ports of
Yokohama, Kobe, Nagasaki, Moji, Shimonoseki, Wakamatsu and Kuchinotsa.
Infected or suspected vessels arriving at other ports are required by the local
police authorities to proceed to one of the ports where a proper inspection can
be undertaken. The periods of detention in quarantine are ten days for plague
and 5 days for cholera and yellow fever. Arrangements at the quarantine
stations are apparently adapted for the reception of the sick only. So far as I
could ascertain there were no arrangements to meet the possibility that it might