The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-08
The Quarantine War.
ENGLISH OPINION OF OUR SANITARY LAWS AND
STATE JrRISDJCTION

STATE JURISDICTION.
From the London Times, Sept. %
While We are patiently discussing the institutions OF
quarantine on this SIDE of the Atlantic the Americans
have subjected tho system to ordeal Of common
lies nsular piece Of the State territory known Sta
ten Island the northeastern point of which, the
with its lazarcttocs hospitals and other appendagcs
considerable scale.
Time when this island was almost unnhabited and
when the pest houses erected its Shores they did
no good, could at least do harm, since tho
place was little better than wilderness. But in
tho extraordinary extension which has boon given
TO tho commerce and population Of New York
city, certain portion of its Inhabitants has been
dsodged and, as in our own metropolis, it has been tho
opuent class which has decided upon removal to the
suburbs This migration had the effect of peoping Staten
Island with settlers of influence and means until al length
tho residents number some O00 comprising many fam
lies OF high provincial position In the meantime the
Quarantine establishment continued in full activity for
though the United States visited by plague, they
exposed to the ravagcs of yellow fever and it was
against the importation OF this pestlence from its more
ordinary sphere in the Southern provinces that tho Staten
Island azaretto principally maintained The result
therefore, the concentration Of malignant disease in
favorite and ercquencd locaty-mnch rs if VIC were
build great pesthousc at kcnsngon Richmond
1t appears that whatever the Staten Island azarctto
might be presumed to accomplish it did not ut any rate
prevent fever from making It's appearance outside the
walls Of the establishment and the islanders instead Of
rejecting what extent thcy might be preserved by tho
quarantine system, perversely concluded that brought
them into positive danger. Dsquietudc and indignation
n fact had prevailed for somc tmo until at length one
set OF sanitary authorities proceeded 10 sit in judgment
upon another and the Caseton Board OF Health actually
declared by formal resolution that the Quarantine ostab
lshmcn raugt with peril to the lives Of the citizens
and that as PLAIN and positive nuisance II might be
justly 'abatcd." This settled the matter On Wednes
day, the LIST Of September mob assembled in the
evening and destroyed considerable portion Of
the Quarantine buildings by open violence, and
the succeeding night they completed the work by
demoishng what remained including the physicians resi-
dence and reducing all the furniture and appurtcnanccs
of the establishment to ashes. The wretched patients
removed from their beds all stages Of disease, fire
applied in every direction, and single stone build
ing which happened to prove ncombustibe, the only
structure which escaped the flames.
We shall not enlarge at present upon the light thrown
by this extraordinary proceeding on the political nstitu
tons OF the United States The act ITSELF though aggra
waited IN character by the mcrcs inflicted on tho unhappy
sick has had many natural precedents not only in the
Vigilance Committees OF San Francisco and New Orleans,
but in tho municipal politics OF New York ITSELF 1t
seems to be considered that organic elc-
montary rights of independent action are reserved
to American citizens notwithstanding their adhesion
TO general form Of government, and that these
rights may be exercised and the sovereignty Of the
pie practically resumed whenever the executive power
regarded seriously in default The principle in short,
is that OF the right Of nsurrecton applied to the ransac
tons Of everyday lo by every town and city popula
ton and we on Monday extracted from the Now York
journals the reflections to which the example in question
naturally gave rise. The Staten Island people did not
like the great pesthose established in the midst Of their
dwellings; they thought II endangered their lives and
when the local authority, in the shape of the Castlcton
Board of Health had given expression TO this opinion,
they proceeded to carry their viii without regard to
the law the general interests OF the State the decisions
Of the supreme government On the spot, as IS not
the rioters. Not the least attempt was made TO
keep the peace, though universally were tho
proceedings anticipated especially the second night OF
the riot that the reporters Of the local journals attended
in the exercise Of their profession to observe and chronicle
events.
On this point, however, will say more il is to
the general system Of quarantine rather than 10 par
tcuiar incident Of its operation that we have addressed
remarks Whatever may be the virus Of certain dis
eases it il clear that the poison must necessarily be in
tenshed BY such institution that OF the azaretto.
When a number Of human beings are packed together,
Som rfgl NJ
jected 10 the destructive influences Of depression,
confinement and terror, it is obvious that the
conditions for the propagation of disease have
been exactly fulfilled. II fever did not exist al
ready, such proceedings would be calculated TO pro-
ducc il. AT ono time all maadcs Of whatever.
description which were observed 10 be epidemic and
believed ~ be contagious treated in similar
ncr 1t was not only against the plague that pcsthouses
were erected in former years Smallpox patients were
collected and isolated in exactly the manner, and
indeed we learn from the reports before that small
pox, well yellow fever taken under the super
nendcnce of the Quarantine authorities Staten Island
In this country have learned, apart from tho
specific Of vaccination tina, the best prophyactcs
cleanliness Our lay their fingers on
the spots in town where disease will be found, and
the centres from which 1t might spread but instead OF
drawing Gordon around the place aud concentrating the
infection, they dispense by the ccctua publication OF
the ncighborhood. Five the towns OF Newcastle
and Gacshead we're visited by dreadful outbreak Of
cholera that in few weeks the pesence carried OF 1000
souls Within distance Of eight nine miles lay the
town OF Tynemouth connected with the plague stricken
boroughs both by railway and river The intercourse be-
tween the two districts nccssan and yet but four
Of cholera during the whole period Of sickness
In Tyncmouih though that town in tho previous
epidemic Of 1si9 could reckon up its 463 deaths. When
ask for an explanation OF 50 remarkable
told that the interval tho authorities 81 Tynemouth had
subjected the place 10 rigorous publication and had
thus rcpulsed an enemy whom no barriers could have
excluded.
deserves 10 be noticed the present occasion that the
plague has not been proIagaied from engaz although the
ordinances Of the Quarantine authorities have been
than Gisrcgarded and whole bodies men compro-
missed by violations Of hcse absurd and prep0stcr
laws. Taking broader view o. facts too may
mark that although the intercourse between Europe and
the East Is now maintained far more constantly and init
maely than in former times never hear of any re
appearance OF the plague That cannot be protected
by latitude climate PLAIN from the terrible suarngs
II past generations, and follows therefore, that
must have earned mmunlties by improved sanitary
economy. The plague In Bulgaria in 1885, IN Egypt
IN ls4s, and now AT Bengaz In 1858: yet Il has
appeared In Western Europe. At Gibraltar or
Malta II s not that the disease has become extinct but
uiat civilized States have outlived their liabilities, and
this exemption they have attained not by the severity OF
their quarantine laws but By the Introduction Of whole
some usagcs. The true way TO keep out pcsencc is
Danish those elements 81 misery and h,h which requires
for IL dcycopcment, and thus leave place
Personal Intelligence.
Capt. Barton, Y. s. A.. Hon. r. Kid~el, of Virginia
and Collector S.hel &c New York. were In Washington