The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-07

Thursday last special meeting for the purpose of
taking into consideration the report of Select
Committee, which had been previously appointed
to investigate the question of Quarantine. 1t is
perhaps pretty generally known, that the system
of Quarantine, adopted at New York, and the
practice under it have, for some time past been
regarded as imposing restrictions upon individuals
and upon Commerce which are as useless as they
are oppressive. In the Annual Report of the New
York Chamber of Commerce-now in process of
publication-the principal causes of complaint and
dissatisfaction with reference to the existing Quar-
antine regulations, are declared to be
Frst-The detention and temporal of vessels of
every class whether infected not at the dscre
ton public officers and private parties whose personal
be directly promoted by the delay of
at the quarantine station. ... .. -.. I'd.
Second-The proraced deeRtion of healthy passengers
and crews, under observation in quarantine the ex
pense the consgnees of the vessels the
heavy taxes imposed them for the slightest accommo
dation rendered necessary by their condition 81
Third-The practice of trans-shpment ghterage of
cagoe at quarantine anchorage and the exorbant
charges to which merchants subjected therefor solely
for the promotion OF private interests and objects.
Fourth-The risks delay and actual losses incident to
the detention and the needessy protraced an
chorage of vessels at the quarantine.
Ffh-The too expansive construction frequently given
to existing regulations in regard articles of Commerce
which arbitrarily deemed capable of conveying infec
ton from one port TO another.
These conclusions the Select Committee on Quar-
antine emphatically endorse, and next proceed TO
examine into 'the practical effect of the doctrine
in regard to the non-contagiousness of Yellow
tFeyer, as avowed by the National Quarantine Con-
"yention and with reference to future legislation
ION the subject
The Committee contend that if it be true--as was
asserted with singular unanimity by the Medical
{. III r,,,-
York-that yellow fever cannot be conveyed from
one person to another, provided that tomites-
wearing apparel, bedding &c.-be rigidly restrict
ed, it clearly becomes the duty of the Chamber of
Commerce to exert all its influence to release the
crews and passengers of vessels in quarantine from
the personal restraint which is now imposed upon
them, Subject, however, in its fullest extent, to
"the qualification with regard to tomitesn After
briefly reviewing the history of Quarantine, the
Committee to the conclusion that it origi-
mated in fear and ignorance and they note the fact
that the first to propose these sanitary regulations
'were not the medical men of the times but the
'poCe and municipal officers of the Italian cities
'he establishments in Lombardy and Venice be-
'ing the first of the kind of which we have apy
knowledge" The report proceeds to state, that
although is conceded that there are many articles
Of commerce and of domestic use which do not
convey contagion, there are others (which are not
innoxious, and thateven with regard to the latter
iii asserted by ''the celebrated DU PEYRoN, Secre-
'tary of the Board of Health of France" that the
persons engaged in the process of publication
have never been affected by it, and ''that the poi
'son has never been transmitted through goods
(Which were not brought into contact with the
diseased persons" As further illustration of
this fact, the Committee allege that 'talthough
'letters are deliberately fumigated in the Medi-
"terranean ports, and restrictive rules against
free correspondence insisted on with great peril
nacitv, yet no instance is upon record where dis
lease has ever been communicated tbroueh that
channel, even when publication has been omit
led" They are, therefore, of the opinion, that
all healthy persons of good habits and in pure air
are perfectly secure from infection, hough brought
INTO contact with a diseased person or even with
ms well worn clothes;' but they concede that
under different circumstance, and in an infected
atmosphere, danger might ensue to persons not
properly guarded" Admitting the impossi-
oiilty Of discriminating at all times, with per-
iect accuracy between those who are in a good
physical and physiological condition" and those
who are not, the Committee do not venture to re-
commend the entire abrogation of the existing
quarantine regulations, but simply that 'the per-
sons OF the sick and well should be relieved from
the confined and impure atmosphere of the vessel
and instead of being imprisoned within the narrow
limits OF Quarantine station, they should at
once, after proper cleansing and change of pro-
per rament, be allowed free egress to the pure
AR OF the country, or to their customary places
''ot residence" This recommendation is in strict
accordance with the views expressed by majority
OF the members of the Quarantine Convention, and
may be regarded as the first step towards putting
into practical operation the theory of non-contagon
which is now so generally entertained. With re-
gard to the adoption of floating hospitals for the
accommodation OF the sick at Quarantine, the
opinion of the Committee isfar from being favorable
They consider that innovation on former usages
to be an experiment which is only defensible the
ground of absolute necessity, and that while it is
possible that such vessels might be used with safety
in the waters of sheltered Bay, they have serious
'apprehensions that inconvenience, discomfort
''and possibly danger, may result from the resort
''to such accommodations in more exposed stu
"atien." Finally, the Committee take up the
question of lighterage, in connection with that of
quarantine, and contend that ''the principle of
free trade in lighterage, as in other branches of
trade and commerce. should be insisted on by
'the Chamber, as far as it can rightfulIy exercise
'power and influence on this question" The
resolutions appended to the Report, and which
are to come up for final action at the next
regular meeting of the Chamber on the 18th of
July, consist-briely stated-of the following
propositions
That the Quarantine regulations may be safely
modified: 'E
mat the passengers and crews of infected yes.
sells, after submitting to personal publication and
changes Of raiment, should not be restrained of
their liberty
That all vessels not proven to be infected should
be released in FIVE days:
That a more just and equitable standard of
Quarantine ought to be adopted:
That permanent location of Quarantine sta
ton, within the waters of New York, should be
made at the earliest period practicable.
Such are the conclusions which have been
reached, in relation to Quarantine regulations by
the members of Medical Convention assembled
expressly to investigate the matter thoroughly,
and by select Committee of intelligent mer-
chants. The changes proposed are tantamount to
a direct reputation of the old theory of con-
tagion and if they can be successfully carried out
Will certainly prove beneficial in an eminent
degree to the interests of commerce, and will
exercise large influence in extending the work
vi reform IN other branches of the Quarantine
System 49si4-ar
"mie the Austrian army is concentrating
itself behind the Mincio, and the forces of the
allies are slowly but steadily ADVANCING 70 tho
attack, the attitude assumed by Prussia, and tho
rumors growing out of the fact that Che IL