The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-30

intervals daring the last few years attempts have
been made to remove the Quarantine station
from Staten Island to some place near Sandy
Hook. These have generally been defeated by
the political influence of those persons who make
their living out Of the station, either as boarding
house On tavern Keepers small stores vendors,
boatmen, State eficeholders, whose convenience is
best suited by being near the city, and the ubor-
dinate employees of the Custom House. Pro-
perty holders in immediate contact with the
Quarantine grounds have also had the idea that a
removal of the station would be injurious to
their interests, and 50, though the Legislature
has been frequently occupied with the question,
nothing has been done. The intense heat of the
weather, however, for the last two weeks, the
arrival of large numbers of vessels from infected
ports, the deaths among those on the island who
have been in contact with the clothes of the sick,
and the condition of the city itself-unprece-
dentedly ilthy-have naturally led, not only to
the idea of precaution, but that of entire pre-
vention.
1t is difficult to speak of the yellow fever with
out setting the contagionists and non-contagon-
lists 10y the ears. The controversy between them
has not yet been settled; but we always think OF
the saying of the learned DR.. Parr, which was,
that those who have suggested and disseminated
doubts as to contagion are not only answerable
for the lives of thousands, but in many instances
have paid the penalty of their own At all
events we see that without contact, either
through an impure atmosphere or by the touch,
yellow fever is not communicated. TIE mere
passing for few moments into part of the
city fenced in, during its ravages, has caused
many deaths both in Baltimore, Philadelphia and
this city.
But whether the yellow fever is contagious,
communicable by contact Substantial contact),
or by infection, which is the communication of
disease through the air, precautions have been
taken in all commercial countries exposed to pesti
lenta visitations against their fatal consequences
and Quarantine stations and laws have existed
for four hundred and fifty years. Among other
things, the time Of detention was graduated ac-
cording to the character Of the disease suspected
as it was found that the latent poison of the
plague was sometimes not developed after contact
until the fourteenth day, though more frequently
on the third or fourth day. The usual precau-
tons consist in fumigatng, ventilating, cleansing
bathing and washing, but strange to say, we have
hitherto in this country paid no attention what
ever to the well known distinction made in Eu-
rope, particularly in France and Italy, between
susceptible and non-susceptible goods, or those
which transmit diseases and those which do not
Thus in the former case, they are usually IN
laden at the lazarettos, exposed to the air, and
undergo depuraton or cleansing. All ami
NAL substances, woods, Silks feathers cotton,
linen and paper are susceptible but vegetable
substances, as well as metallic, are not SO. W.,
however, noticed yesterday, that the Health Off
Ger has given warning in relation to some bales
Of rags which were lying unattended to at the
wharf.
New York has, in former years, suffered greatly
by the introduction of the yellow fever, but the
losses sustained by those vsitations would bear
comparison with what it might suffer now
it increases in population and commerce, so much
the more will it suffer il attacked by epidemics
Contact is more unavoidable, and the air becomes
more miasmatic.
Under this state Of things and these reasona-
bic probabilities, it would seem indispensable to
our complete protection that the Quarantine
should he removed to some suitable place in the
lower bay, and that it should be arranged on
grand scale, commensurate with the trade Of
the port and the wealth Of the Empire State
The farther from the city the better, If not too
far. From the lower bay, telegraphic communi-
cation can be had with the city at any hour Of
the day or night and, indeed, most transactions
in relation TO detained cargoes could be carried
on by its means just as they are now in our in
land traffic. When the first line Of French steam
ers began, in 1884, to ply between Marseillcs
and the Levant Quarantine was at first performed
by the return steamers at the former port but
this not preventing the plague from entering the
city, the French government decided that Qua
rantne should be performed at Malta, more than
five hundred miles distant.
A Quarantine station at Sandy Hook or
elsewhere in the lower bay, would undoubt-
edy furnish The city all the security
within the power of man TO devise. 1t would
give new impulse to the improvement Of Staten
Island, certainly the most magnificent along the
whole American coast, not surpassed indeed, in
many respects, by any in the world At present
it's inhabitants feel they are all the time in dan
ger, and If yellow fever should become annual
visitant the island would I've depopulated. We
therefore recommend most strongly that our
lazaretto be removed as soon as possible from its
present situation, on their account as well as our
own. If the yellow fever should get foothold
in the city at the present time, hundred millions
of dollars would not make good the injury. This
is the calculation Of some Of our leading mer-
chants. IL is the part Of wisdom, if we shall hap
PLY escape the scourge this season, to take i'm
mediate steps to remove the Quarantine station TO
the lower bay. With our admirable Croton, our
extensive sewerage. and good men in Office, we
should escape the only drawback which can ever