The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-10
QUARANTINE.
Question OF Cemmcrcc-The Board Of
Health Red-Taping Again-The shipping
Community in n Hubbub,


A Question OF Cemmerce-Ths Board Of
Health Red-Taping Agnin-The shipping
Community in a Hubbub.
The Board OF Health and the Quarantine Commits
sioners have never been very good friends, and
judging from present appearances it would seem
that they never win be- Last summer and the sum-
mer previous, the two commissions were constantly
quarrelling over questions OF responsibility and
authority and now the old feuds have already begun
to show themselves again. There can be no doubt
about the fact That the trouble that periodically
arises between the two sanitary departments Is due
more to the loose way in which the Health ana
Quarantine laws were drawn up than to any Ill
feeling one entertans for the other; but the results
OF the constant misunderstanding are for all that
just as hurtfu to those most concerned IN the exist
ence or perfect harmony between the commissions
as though the laws were perfection itself. The pre-
sent trouble was caused by the action OF the SAM
tary superintendent few days ago. in ordering a
certain vessel from her wharf the stream because
she had arrived from what he considered an in
fected port. The resolution passed by the Board Of
Health on Wednesday, on motion OF DR.. Crane
of Brooklyn only added to the trouble, besides
causing great deal Of indignation in certain
shipping circles, and many merchants engaged In the
Havana trade especially on Thursday called upon
DR.. Swinburne, the Health Officer to satisfy them
selves as 10 whether not the resolution could be
enforced. 1t will be remembered that the resolution
declares MatanZas ana Havana infected ports, and
prohibits ali vessels from these ports to land at any
OF our wharvesthat Is TO say that they must remain
either in the lower bay or at designated distance
from the shore TO unload, and reload. What gave
occasion for this resolution the merchants are at
loss TO understand, as there is now no epidemic OF
any KIND either 10 Havana or Matanzas. They say
thai lhe best proof the world of this Is the bills OF
health OF E. $. Plumb Consul General at Havana.
For instance, as late as tue 25th of June the bark
In nor az
two ago. aud in her bill Of health, signed by the
Consul, was the following sentence:-"In this port
picion Of plague, yellow fever or other c0ntagtOn
or pest whatever In an epidemic fOrm" lie Is, OF
Board Of Health to to 1t tnat the health OF tins
city should be properly cared for; but they contend
that the Board IN this matter have not only acted
without any well founded fears OF an epidemic, but
also contrary to law. The quarantine law in refer
ence to vessels Davigated by steam reads as fol-
lOws:--''Such vessels Shall be subjected only to such
Length of quarantine and regulations as the Health
Oflice- shall enjOln, unless they shall have had on
board during the voyage some case OF quarantine
BILE disease, in which case they shall be subjected TO
such quarantine as the Health Officer and the Quar-
antine Commissioner shall prescribe" Ii Will thus
be seen that the Health Officer Is by law held re-
spOnsbIe for the sanitary condition of each and
every vessel that comes to this port, and that with
hlm alone lies the power to say now long steam; a,
the tn inst the steamship Columbia arrived at this
port from Havana, and even after 1t had been ascer
tanned tina, she mad sickness or deaths on board
from the time she had left that place. she was tho
roughly tumigated and ceansed and given a
&c @ by hea 9Ser Eed
vessel, to the best Of my knowledge and
benef. is now free from injection or c0ntagion
and may proceed to her dock, with the approval OF
the Metropolitan Board OF HEALTH" The vessel came
to her dock, having, by the way, discharged her
the same night she was ordered by DR.. Harris of the
Board OF Health, to 60 out into the stream 800
yards from shore, which she did, and completed her
loading. What the gentlemen IN the shipping trade
are most concerned ABOUT IN the new action OF the
Board OF Health-which the case Of the Columbia Is
given to eXempify-is as to what length DR.. Harris
Intends to carry his new tangled notion about dis
tances from shore and unloading with lighters IN the
stream. They contend that last summer the Board
held that disease prOpagated from the ships and
not from the cargo and that II no disease broke out
on board 1--WE days after leaving the port the cargo
could be safely landed at the wharf direct from
the ship. The Columbia, which mad been out
from Havana nine days before she arrived here.
did arrive. The shippers who have manifested the
most feeling as to this particular subject are sup
ported by the Health Officer In their opinion that
steamship with no sickness on board and which does
not like sailing vessels, remain for any length OF
time AT any one port, cannot carry disease with 1t
to another port, particularly after having been
fumigated and thoroughly cleansed before entering
each one; and moreover that during the past five
years over four hundred vessels inclusive OF steam.
ships have arrived at this port and that there never
yet has been single case OF infectious disease traced
to vessei thus fumlgated and ceansed. In the
summers OF 1864 and 1867, they say, when yellow
fever and cholera prevailed in Havana and nineteen
other ports, twenty vessels rom these ports each
seaSou were, aiteI peiuB luukateu dlioWcu ny tue
Board Of Health to come to this city and unload and
yet disease in the city originated from any
Of them. Under these circumstances, the ship
pers are at loss to know what to do, as
they believe that, II the action of the Board
should be enforced in regard to all vessels
coming from infected or so-caiied injected ports
commerce will come to standstil, as they cannot
afford, with any profit to themselves to load or I'M
load vessels with lighters nor VIII those who ship
cargOes pay the extra expense that the new state OF
things would entail upon them. AS an example OF
the utter want Of consistency on the part OF Dr. Har
ris IN this matter they refer to the case OF the
MORO Castle. This vessel on her arrival from Ha-
vana was allowed to go to her dock and unload her
cargo and go on the dry dock for repairs; yet as
as the repairs were over she was ordered out
being nothing more nor less Than new version Of
the story OF the door being locked after the horse is
stOlen-that Is, II the ship was injected at ALL which
she proved not to be.
How this troublesome subject will be settled Is a
question which the merchants and the Board OF
himself has no right whatever to order vessel any
place from any wharf, Such an order can alone come
from the Board, and DIR. Harris can execute 1t; but
he cannot make an order OF his own without the
Boards consent by majority vote; The shippers
who complain OF the red tapesm OF the Sanitary Su
perintendent say that they are quite willing, in case
any epidemic prevails at any port whence their ves
sells come to submit to any and every regulation
that may be OF benefit TO the health Of the city, but
that they tamey submit to their ships being
when even the United States COnsus OF those ports
declare the places free from epidemic OF any Kind
There are those, indeed, who believe that II the
health authorities paid more attention to our dirty
streets than they are doing they would do the public
health better service than by kicking up rows perl
odlcally with the shipping community without any
other motive than the desire OF making sensation.