New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-04
CHOLERA AND QuARANTrNE.

CHOLERA AND
five all learned this morning at breakfast that the
horrors of Andorsonville or of the Inquisiton were
reproduced within ten miles Of New-York We hope
il might be possible to rouse little popular indisnG
ton on the subject. without saying that affairs at
Quarantine are so bad as they were in Southern
prisons, we may safely say they are bad enough
to be disgraceful to the City and State, and
to demand a prompt remedy. The arrival Of
the Union and Peruvian last week, with cholera on
board, has brought to public notice the continued
inadequacy Of quarantine arrangements. When the
Virginia came, and nothing was ready for her, the
excuse was offered that her appearance was sudden,
and that no time had been allowed for preparation.
month has since elapsed and the arrival OF two
smaller ships with fewer sick finds the quarantine Of
ficers and the Board of Health more ready than
they were before. There is place where patients
can be landed The accommodations on board the
hospital ships wreched as they are at best are une-
dual to the demand for them. The Falcon
has scant room for seyenty-fvc patients. On
Saturday she had one hundred and four Oh
board. She lies at anchor eight miles below Staten
Island exposed to wind and sea, and for patients III
with disease that requires above all other restora
rNNN''
coffin. On the ships that brought the cholera the
passengers who before reaching this harbor had es-
capped t. are confined the decks where the disease
was bred, and the inevitable consequence is that %
or 30 sicken daily, and daily half that number die
They are victims, not Of the cholera particularly but
of the gross incompetence and msmanagement that
has neglected, after ample warning, to provide a
proper quarantine on shore.
The necessity for both sick and well is to get on
shore To keep them on board ship is barbarous and
stupid and rivals the nhumanity OF Genoa last year.
which thought it cheaper to let the sick die than to
save them or the savage panic Of Of the Medi-
terranean islands, where cannon were trained on the
cholera ships to sink them if the prisoners should
oyerpower the guards. We all remember the pltliul
appeals last Winter from the pennedup passengers Of
the ATLANTA. Dr. Parker now tells us that their decn
ton was needless and that il would be perfectly safe
to let the well board the Union and Peruvian come
on shore-certan proper precautions beng first taken
Dr. Swinburne says the why no place on shore
has been provided is because the people OF Long
Island, Staten Island, and New-Jersey threaten
violence if anything in the nature of quarantine Is
established near Them IL strikes us that presents
distinct issue which somebody should be willing to
accept II quarantine is necessary, OF which there
can be no doubt, it must have leave to exist some
where. Local prejudices must yield to the
general welfare. There arc three or four places
which all the authorities agree are perfectly
adapted for quarantine purposes. What is the
use Of a Government il the Government cannot
in such an emergency take possession of one of them
The Legislature Of New.York, are told refused to
give the quarantine officers the power to seize part of
Long Island the Legislature of New-Jersey refused
to allow Sandy Hook to be appropriated and the
United States Government has title to Sandy Hook
only on condition that it shall not be used for quaran
tine Miserable excuses, all of them -Four years Of
struggle for the right to exist nation have taught
US the value of the legal maxim that regard for the
public welfare is the highest law. The property, lib
erty, and even life of the individual may be sacr
feed In certain circumstances, for the public good
When fire threatens the destruction OF a city, we
don't wait for enactment 10 blow up the nearest |
houses. The common law and the rules of public !
policy make it legal. When President Lincoln on
the surrender Of Sumter called 10000 men to arms.