New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-01-31
r & PO RT
or TIE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE OF 1913
on TIE
REMOVAL OF THE QUARANTINE.

Interest, inasmgch ss IL nearly concerns the intsr
ests Of large portion Of our community.
REPORT
Of ,. Commune s'2ot. - - Hoas, o. Assembly o. -
snins Lfisil.iHea ne co-''y 4 Rim 'aol.a = =
Q1srsnt.ns 81 ~ .slnsli should - removed
The Select Committee appointed pursuant 70
the resolution adopted by the House Of Assembly
on the ia day Of April lsi5 respectfully report
That your Committee shortly after the adjoo m ne ni
Of the legislature, entered upon the duties impose
upon them by the resolution. The subject Il one OF
great importance involving a. Il does not only the 10
Of the great body Of our eiuzens connected ="
the commercial concerns Of the state but also, what
ia Of far greater i'm porsnce the protection o. commu
nifty against the spread Of those diseases which are pes
ueuts or infectious In their character, and also con
sideng that those Interests necessarily cOunct u IS
one Of peculiar dslcscy and difficulty. and 10 order 70
come 20 correct conclusion your Committee felt Igs
tilted 10 giving large portion Of their time 10 the mat
ter they have sndesyOred 70 consider u without re
gard % the wishes Of those whose feelings or whose
Interests would bias them either way or another
The resolution, it will be perceived contains two
/ branches Of inquiry
Fret. shall the Quarantine Establishment bs 70
| moved from its present OcauOn-snd If 20,
Sc0nd To what locality should u be removed
Your Committee In examining these questions have
used their utmost endesvors % procure al the NOR
nation practicable not only from personal Inspection
and examination but they invited information Dy no
tees through the public Press Tor All those who elt an
sterest In the subject matter 10 appear before them
also by direct request 10 such as were supposed 10
possess either peculiar know edge, skill or experience
10 give your Committee the benefit Of that knowledge,
skill and experience. and the result has been that
they have collected mass OF i7cts and opinions
which Is appended hereto aud they VIII now en-
deavOr q forth succincty ss may be- the con-
illusions Of their minds from such personal iuspec.
ton and examination and the evidence produced be
fore them.
As to the first branch ofthe inquy-should the Quar-.
sntiDe Establishment be removed from its present To-
cation To this we unheststiDgly answer YES and
for the following reasons
The great object of Quarantine establishment 70
use the language Of the statute, 10 prevent the
spread Of pestlenal infectious diseases to protect
the community. and TO guard the public well against
those diseases which are not indigenous here, but
which coming from other countries II permitted
b get a foothOld in crowded cities and villages,
there finding the necessary siment 10 sustain would
carry disease and death with them. The yellow fever
and cholera are instances OF this class OF pestience
also diseases of another character which though they
may and frequently do originate here, also come from
abroad yet by prudent measures are arrested and con-
fined within circumscr bed limits and are thus pre-
vented from becoming epidemic The ship or typhu'
fevers and small pox known examples OF this class
Of pest In short the great end VI Quarantine
has been well said, IL precautionary.
As TO the propnety or necessity OF such an estsO
shment opinions vary and learned Doctors have dss
greed and II being admitted fact that II i hard 10
decide when Doctors disagree, your Committee con
tent themselves by agreeing with what this state has
said time and again through her Legislatures. that
Quarantine - highly necessary. This State while
colony commenced legssting on the subject and from
time time down the year 1876 have passed strin
gent laws for the preservation OF the public health
ana this too, notwithstanding strong opposition and
earnest demonstrates from those with whose inter
eats such establishment comes In conflict and indeed
since the very able port made 10 this House by SO
ect committee appointed In lc45, 10 examine the sub
Jet and whose report will be found in Assembly Doc
ument No 90 for the year s46 IL would seem TO be no
longer open question, but the paramount necessity
and importance of a Quarantine establishment TO have
been determined the settled policy of this state
brief review OF the Quarantine laws OF this State.
and history OF it's in its present location,
If not strictly germane to the matter may moi be out Of
ohe subject The fr,t law on the subject was passed
by the Colonial Legislature, IN l73s, and 10 entitled An
prevent the bringing In and spread OF Infectious
dstempers In the colony. and provides that vessels
having the small pox yellow fever, or other conts
gOus Ostempers should not come nearer the city than
bedows Island aud should make their Quarantine
there and heavy penalties were imposed for viola
: i7e.. physician 10 be appointed TO inspect
suspected vessels and the penalties imposed were sp
proprist % the light house at Sandy Hook Another
Act passed In 1926. by which Health officer was
10 lie appointed with seven Commissioners OF Health
and the cum OF SO 900 granted LszarstO
on what was then called Nu,ten Island now Gov
ernors Island or other lands more eligible. This
act was amended 10 1877, and three Health Commits.
sioners were appointed. In 1925 the law wss
reenseted and the powers and duties Of the Com
mssioners of Health defined. The of 81 OC0 part
OF the $500 granted by the State Lazsretto
on Governors Island. was appointed toward repairing
the buildings for the reception of the sick Bedlows
Island, and the remainder of the ssd spprO-
priated toward erecting Lazsreito sGch place A.
should thereafter be designsted by law the svais OF
nDes and iOrieues OF recOgnzsnces under the act
to be paid 10 the Commissioners OF the health Officer
TO be by them applied toward defrsyng the expenses
OF the Health Office aud repealed the former acts
the subject Whether Lszsretio ever built on
Governors Island In pursuance Of these lsws does
no, appear, but the 25th of February l779,
was passed amending the above act aud providing that
the Commissioners OF the Health Office should consist
OF the Health Officer physician 10 be styled the Resi-
dent hyscisn, and one other person be appointed
by the Council of Appointment They to have the
same powers aud privileges and TO perform the
duties as the Commissioners constituted by the set
thereby amended The Tie ath Officer wss required 10
side on staten Island and the two other Commission
ers In the City of New.York. These Commissioners |
authorized with the consent OF the Governor 20
purchase tract Of land Staten Island and to erect
hospital thereon, 10 De known as the Marine Hospital
and such other buildings and improvements might |
be- necessary 10 carry out the purposes Of the act Il
also provided for the anchorage ground of vessels sub
ect 10 Quarantine This hospital 10 be ia lieu Of the
Lszsreto established by the act thereby amended and
10 be subject to the regulations and provisions
This law farther provides that II the Commissioners
oud not ssree for the purchase OF the tract Of land
selected they might enter upon the same and cause
urvey sad map thereof to be made and exhibit such
survey and map - the Justices Of the Supreme Court
,r any two of them. They were 90 certify the same
md them 10 be nled IN the Once OF the Clerk OF
he County where the lands situated 10 remain
public record The Justices were then to sppOint not
ess than three nor more than i've discreet and impair
is appraisers 10 spprsise the premises. These sp-
rssers were ascertain the value OF the premises and
he damage which the lessee might sustain by
he appropriation OF the same. Their valuation and
assessment Of damages De certified under oath 10
V true and tmpsrtial-to be acknowledged before
Master in Chsneery and fled In the County Clerks
)thco then. upon payment Of such valuation snd
ssessment with the costs OF spprssmcnt the people
Il this state wers vested with the fee simple OF said
snds. Full regulations were prescribed for the govern
men; OF the Institution sud the sum Of fteen thousand
o.lars appropriated for the purposes OF the act
nd the section Of the former act making spproprs
ION for repairing the buidings on Bedows Island was
epeslcd IL under this act the Quarantine WAS
established N its present locstiou Since then the law
As been amended and revised from time 10 time. bur
great principle Of the necessity OF protecting BY law
he public health sssinsi imported disease never
,st sight OF until IN lsi6 the whole law revised
nd the present law enacted upon the Recommendation
the Select Committee soove alluded 10. after tho
ousn aud able examination OF the whole subject BY
lem. Experience has shown the wisdom OF these en-
ctmeDts ana has proved the utility and necessity OF
quarantine. Let "a be cautious, then, not 10 forget
hat has saved from pestence, and take heed that
npun.ty does not render careless.
such, then, being the great objects OF Quarantine
stsolshment and its necessity admitted, the inquiry
rises. Whist the essential requisites Of location
efectuse that object ard this to- with the least in
ny ard inconvenience commercial marine com
snole with the great end 10 De Aitsned These reSa
les msy be summed Up 80 follows; Firsf-The Quar- Q
On "a -