The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-15
NATIONAL QUARANTINE CONVENTION.


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The Meeting 4" hiiadelphia-List OF Deie-
Entes-Oponing Address, &c.
National Conven ou Of representatives from che local
Boards Of Health and other bodies OF the principal seaport
cities throughout The Unsn, was commenced yesterday
moving 'hs Supreme Court Room, State House build
ing.
At twenty MINUTES past eleven A. NJ, the meeting was
temporarily organised by calling William Bonsai, Esq
Preside mt 81 the PhIsdepbis Board Of Health the chair
and arpoI ting Joseph 3. Coad Esq., Of the body
Secreury.
The following delegates appointed attend the Conven
ton, reported themselves present -
Ne,o Fork Cdy-Me--rs Clancy, Franklin and valen
tine, from Hoaru Of Aldermen and Board of Health.
II. Joseph R Coad, NJ. VIM. Bonsa Esq, of the Board
o. Health; e. Ia Roche. D, d. f. Condic, NJ o., Joha
Bel, NJ D., @. Tmersrn, ~ D., Ed Hartshorne ~ D. Of
Coasss. ~ D., lhos H. yaraisy, n. u. John D Bide,
D. wm Gilbert Of r. b We M1yDSr d. Alex Il
John H. Diehl, Esq, FL. A. souder, Esq and - Bishop
ESQ M The Board or Trade
Solomon Carter, Timothy Summer, James Nate Joseph
NJ wsh,man, John T. Dngiey, Aldermen; John No
phy.iaiap Geo Hayward, n D., and Jacob Bigclow Con
I'yowd.,.es, e. E--u.her Psroos, " D.; E,wn NJ.
snow, " D., City Registrars and Edwin NJ. snow, NJ D.
NNc Jt,z,y--Ipaac a. Nichols, NJ D., and A. W. r.
Dsia,sa,s Lewis r Burr, H. D., Of the WIN ningtou
Board Of Hcalh Jamo F. Wilson. NJ D., and VIM Carly,
Eq OF The Medical association OF Wilmington aud Henry
Aaryland.-Wm. N. Kemp, N: D., and J. u, H"cS,
NJ D., Of the Baltimore Board Of Health john Gilmin,
a. NJ wittenbergen " D., Christian Johnsn, 81 D.. Le Wis
H. S'einer, NJ D., NJ. H. Quincey, Esq, and Geo. W. Po,
ter, Esq Of the Board Of Trade
Loiisiaaa.-C. Delery, ESQ.,, w. Lendsay and A.
Foster Anson OF the New Orleans Board of Health H.
Barton aud James Joaes Of the City Council Of New
Orleans.
Nix. PRESIDENT AND GEyTIEMEyIIaving been houoref
with the appointment Of Chairman OF the Committee Of
my agreeable duty to lay before you In few brief
marks, the origin and tho objects contemplated in tho call
Of this convention. AS suitable preliminary however
permit me 10 say, that Is with no ordinary feelings ex
tent to you cordial salutaton, and welcome you
city and It's Inequalities trusting that your ooarn among
may be pleasant one in social aspect assuring you
that nothing shall be wanting part 10 render your
stay agreeable at tho time sincerely DESTROYS that
conventional relations may be Harmonious, mutually
profitable and essentially advantageous 10 the sanitary and
commercial interests Of all our seaboard cities Allow me,
Mr. President To congratulate you the hcnorcd de-
egate to the rst American congress convenrd for
eanitary reform. An object 30 momenoas In its charac
ter and important to the safety, the ah and tho
prosperity OF every community, as To deserve and com
mand the serious consideration the highest order
Of intellect in the land--a movement that, in my
estimation, should be confined exclusively u
the learning, the wscom aud experience Of
time honorcd medical profession but ono in which
the intellectual 10 be found In every department
of science and the arts should be sought out aud heartily
enlisted. Mr.. President, meet to day u aud
untriod platform, while commission IL move! rs II
new hi Tory and however adequate may prove
In accomplishing the important work assigned Us, by
Tecng errors the public mind, foun6cd upon
prejudice and ignorance, and establish the uuth-never
theess, hal feel that our mission distinguished one
hail the advent OF In tho domain VI sci
ence when vened TO losislate questions
relating TO the improvement OF public health Is the
introduction " field Of learning almost xplored in
this country-vet field interesting II Is extensive,
and important as IL Is uncuvaed. Public hygiene,
SIR Win us mas an o. e years. e ,S Su. h as
progressive scence, True, here and there may have
been solitary deyotee, earnestly Engaged in his
sanitary and statistical abors unaided and alons faint
yet pursuing, with his eye steadily fixed upon tho
star Of promise, he presses onward and still on
ward, gathering encouragement and strength a. he
advancss until he behoIds the bright spois of
dure freshen and increase in his rugged pathway,
and for the rt limo In the asse milling or this intelligent
convention IL he chcered with the sight Of his avorite
study taking is position with kindred scieDces-and
he feels that his sanitary dest beginning To rejoice aud
blossom the ross, aud that hs solitary wanderngs
TO be made glad by footprints OF his country
shalcd IL the promotion OF the science OF heal, Sconcs
limited only by the the health and hapInos. of
the entire human family IL has oeen said sir ami II has
been wrtteD-and perhaps wi h more truth than poetry
fact than ancybat the councils of our nation have
legi-aied upon almost all topics, save that OF publ,
hsalih Be this however, ~ II may u high time tina
the voares Of science awake IN the pursuit OF h
true principles or sanitary reform, when measures arr
| every where being devised for the elevation Of th'
Sciences aud for The cultivation aud perfection of the art
from tho vast shaustbie resources OF nature
when the Influence OF steam IL rcvoutionZng the world
Of labor, and when the lightning speed Of the elsc-
t'ic telegraph, scaling mouutsins, skinmng plains,
spanning oceans, ana betting the earth Itself, Is
snDlhisiine spaoc-it is but In accordance with the
sIirit Of the ago thai efforts should be made aud
plans covised, and special sanitary egl 'ation ro
mmcndcd and carried into execution FOR the promotion
Of pnblc health Nor am far from the truth, IL claim
this occasion, "a sani,sran, that only real
public this enlightened latter bal Of tho l9th
tury "a udIcioasy devised and faithfully executed cole
Oft nj and IN "a
the paramount object that has brought s to gehsr " day
Especially 10 consider and recommend Tor adoption, i'm
Prov cd and far may be practicable uniform sys-
tem Of quarantine laws Tho call of this convention
originated with member Of the Board Of Health Of his
city the fall Of 1855 The members Of that body, aer
efu review Of the proposition, peo their opera
ton and appointed committee To Correspond with the
b ards OF Health Of several OF our large cities the pro
prlety d the measure, The committee Immediately for
warded co,ies OF the annexed communication, 10 the
Boards OF Health OF Boston, New YORK, Baltimore and
New Orleans. Al this point Dr. Jewell read tue
call for the cow ntion, as Issued by tho Board
Of Health Of Philadelphia on the llth OF February 1851
Receiving Tho hearty SANCTION OF uea, bodies,
assembling an American Congress foe santafy reform
would be hailed itn universal favor tho Board assumed
tho responsibility Of inviting delegates from Boards OF
Besah, Board OF Trade, and from two regular medical o
cites each " the principal board cities ol the states
'os cnlDc w convention IN ul cry ahg VI 'ay Nay y"
the time In accordance with This arrangement, the
committee addressed tho circular 20 the various bodies
onb accd above in the several maritime cities Afer tho
full engEcaon OF tho specific object Tor the call OF this
nycIton, presented In the circulars have jut read
IT would seem hardly necessary TO furnish single add
uoual argument By way OF explanation. The preserva-
ton OF tie public health however, la question Of grave
import While the best means for guarding sgsns the In
roads OF epidemic diseases dos.defaam OF pee altar
interest That branch Of the subject ~hich will neces.a
rily claim attention, is quarantine more properly
external health It's history full Of exciting Interest
Much learning has been ay-hed upDn IT, various
theories have been erected for It, support
merous controversies have been sustained, aud
tf the most distinguished mcn In the mstical
~ efcson, both Ia the present. AL past ages have
been enlisted IN tho investigation u The erroneous hypo
theses conaicurg testimony which have obcurcd the
truth Aside however from all The faaces aud evils al
hcf,ut 10 quarantine systems, tao propositions have
been aiest universally couceiod. Frsi, that quarantine
has failed securing the audsble end Tor which
originally instituted. second, that quarsiino regulations
susceptible 81 improvement The utility NJ quarantine
Establishments In preventing the int oucon of 81 ease
into cities through the sg"ucy ~ an acge commerce,
IN o this leading aud perhaps The mot important Of al
the questions involved IN the subject, and One that viii
without doubt engage the attention 81 this convention. nst
there are evil Incorporated ~th the laws of quarantine
the advocates fOr mot rigid Enforcement vi not pre-
tend 10 deny Nor y The wan of a unifsrn system ~