The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-02-28

4 quarantine laws-to take testimony, report facts
aad such alterations In the present quarantine laws
as they may deem expedient. The committee con
sisted OF D. G. Wheeler, c. Comstock, and ReubeI
H. Hine, Esquires, and their able report shows tina
they brought the greatest skill and perseverance t
their assistance The report embraces a larg,
octave volume, and is replete with valuable and in
teresting information on the subject Of contagiou
and infectious diseases. The committee, In the
report trace the yellow fever from It's last visit I,
this city, IN 1922 up to its first appearance, and arrv,
at the conclusion that it was originally brought her.
by shipping; and finding aliment to subsist on, 1
has gone on committing its fearful ravages, until
like fire, it disappeared from want OF substance tc
destroy. The committee extended their investiga
ton into the subject Of email pox and cholera and
their researches furnish variety of interesting and
valuable information From the length Of the re.
port, we find it difficult to give abstract oil
it, and are compelled to take very narrow glance
at its principal features only. From the testimony
submitted to them in regard to those three great
scourges of the human family, yellow fever, small
pox, and cholera, the committee arrive at the fol.
loving CONCLUSIONS
That the yellow fever has been brought 10 the city
OF New York in her shipping either by the foulness OF
The vessel the sickness Of persons board damaged
cargo clothes from those who had died with the yell
low fever or from some Of these causes combined.
O. That the yellow fever may be brought the port OF
New York ship board when the average temperature
at New York is about SOC Fahre nheits thermom
from sicky port within the tropics and not be percev.
ed until alter her arrival and perhaps not until after she
has broken bulk
temperature is about 500 Fahrenhes thermometer not
passing into colder atmosphere and arriving at New
fever. the yellow fever prevailing the port OF her
departure or she lays along side vessel infected with
yellow lever or the crew or persons on board are other
That the progress of the yellow fever is checked
BY violent atmospheric commotions and destroyed by
That the yellow fever Is not gous infectious
or epidemic. in perfectly pure atmosphere, unless It
has been pent up in clothes other substances from
persons who have had the disease and then will spend
itself on the persons first attacked.
That the yellow fever will dsvelope itself in from
to twelve days after infection and may sooner
fthe exposure to the morbid euvium of the disease,
York principally originates from foreign sources and
may be lessened by quarantine regulation.
ton developes itself in from six to twenty .one days
and BY incubation in from seven to ten days.
O. That the pestilentia cholera deveopes itself In
from one to ten days
TO- That passengers arriving in vessels from Europe
not having touched at any port within the tropics
being exposed to the yellow fever should il found in
good health cleanly and In cleanly vessel. with
unchanged cargo, be allowed to come Immediately to
the wharyes Of Tho city with the vessels, after an exa
IL That quarantine regulations at the port of New
York necessary but should be made as perfect as
human skill devise and enforced BY medical science
manly energy and uprshtness Of purpose, with as
a wise caution for the public health.
D. That il the yellow fever mud subjects unaccl.
mated it has the power on ship board its arrival
atthe port OF New York. when the temperature ranges
not far from so deg. F,hrenheit's thermometer, Of
gathering strength or Of reproducing ITSELF in at
In iy.ven'ilaed places by exhalations from animal
exuvi1; BY nosome filth in docks uncovered by water
Astounding with dead bodies impeIfsctiy covered with
earthi by decayiDg vegetable animal matter; by
putd or impure food and water; by uncleany habit;
by over fatigue and animal exhaustion; and with these
causes perhaps even with either separately, may be-
come malignant, pestilentia disease and its march
will be made more easy If the atmosphere 10 humid.
These conclusions have been deduced from the
testimony of number Of our most able physicians,
and are entitled to great consideration. The COM
mttee have proposed bill based on these conclu.
sions, which they have annexed to their report
There is one feature connected with this which all
will heartily approve of. We give it in the words
of the report -
The bill has feature which the committee hope will
commend to the patriotic citizens who called off,
cialy to legisate for the people of the State II gives
relief to the immigrant seeking shores hoe yer he
arriving al the port Of New York provided he 10
the hospital door ana shows that he is sick with tempo
This additional benefit the committee and In the sug.
gesons Of the resident and that the grounds
and hospital buildings in his estimation sufficiently
cannot be precisely foreseen the committee think that
inns provision should not now be extended beyond
year whicn Will probably leave surplus without in.
creasng the amount now required 10 be paid hospital
money.
has been deferred and the heart made sad for the
ment the man Of sickness the woman of misfortune
OF h the child o. had passed the quarantine ground
Marine Ho pital for relief II 10 this feature in The law
o. now exists which the committee have been inform
60 started the inquiry as to its justice its constitutional
ty The persons interested asked why the inning rant
who paid his money could have benefit from it after
he came to the cty and in their inquiries they learnt
that there surplus moneys which were appropri.
ated TO other purposes notwithstanding the law itself
provides that the surplus shall remain appropriated to
supply any deficiency that may occur of the annual
funds to meet the annual expenses Of the hospital
to deray the expenses of erecting such hospitals
rect" The Legislature evidently intended that ali the
moneys collected from this source should be expended
good by fundios ANY Surplus
which might be obtained in year to make up any de-
hciensy Tor any cause la subsequent year. It was
specinc tax for specific purpose.
The committee suggest with great difdence however
that the diversion Of of these funds unjust though
perhaps not technically or legally wrong And if the
committee comprehend one of the points taken in the
,ate argument before the Supreme Court Of the States
oy the present able Attorney General of the State the
view OF the committee 10 sustained by him.
me end Of the quaran laws" says the Attorney
General is the health Of the city of New York and
those who enter It. The means tax upon
The tax being common lawstolln rather statute law
TOLL and levied for the he alh Of New York and for those
who enter It, tie toll should be devoted to the specific
object for which it II levied and If it is appropriated to
any other purpose injustice is certainly meted out to
the toll payers, even fno constitutional right violated
to allow il.
The committee have not, however. proposed to restrict
the operation Of the present law in regard the surplus
moneys any, but to extend the benign Influence Of the
lava to the toll payers and equently the surplus
will be less This change will take away a great cause
OF complaint snd perhaps satisfy perfectly those who
now think the law oppressive.
The committee propose another alteration In the laws
which relieves this same class Of persons on their arr
val at the port Of New York from Europe If they are
well ans IN cleanly condition, by allowing them 10
come to the city or shipboard From the testimony Ia.
ken will be perceived that the present is useless
and unnecessarily oppressve and in addition TO this
there IL evidently great 10 obging three or four
hundred persons, perhaps thousand to be landed at
quarantine ground, who from their condition while on
the voy age pee uary liable to take an epidemic or
contagious disease the momen, they land II one exists
The object Of quarantine laws to prevent the impor,a.