The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-01-09
Quarantine a. Understood in New
York


Since the publication Of the conversation which
took Place between q member Of the BOard of
Health and ourselves, the party alluded TO has
called upon u, and state- that We misunderstood
him when be stated ID. that the old ideas about
the necessity Of quarantining vessels arriving
from infected districts, or which had disease actu-
ally Oh board, were fast becoming exploded =
that he referred particularly 70 cholera and yellow
fever that certain regulations are necessary in
el-es Of smallpox, and for that reason he and his
colleagues quarantined the Id1ho.
We cannot reconcile ourselves to the idea that
the Idah0 wa- quarantined, in the true sense Of
the term. Webster defines quarantine
Specifically, tie term, originally Of forty days,
but now Of undetermined length, during which a
ship, arriving in port, and suspected Of being in
fectei with q malignant, contagious disease, II obliged
20 fyrbear al intercourse with tie shore hence,
restraint or inhibition Of intercourse to which a ship
j. SUBJECTED, Oh the presumption that she may lie
infected
Can any reasonable man, or body Of men,
knowing the circumstance, claim that the IdGhO
was quaFantined?
Now the question arises, was there n necessity
for quarantining? We DO not claim to be yersei
in medicine, but we do claim to be possessed ola
reasonable amount Of common sense, which We
hope to bring to bear upon this matter.
We have before us the . : Proceedings and De
bates Of the Third National Quarantine and san
itary Convention, held in tie city Of New York,
in Is5g.'
DR.. Kemp, Of Baltimore, then said, among
other remarks
Now, at the fr-t Convention that assembled in
Philadelphia, certain propositions were announced a
facts it was presumed that the deliberations upon
those statements were then concluded. These have
gone forth o the world without having been contro-
verted in the action Of the Convention that was then
hell, and the Committee have regarded them as
adopted principles therefore, / think, II j. not nee
eszlry that We should 90 over and re-discuss them.
Now, IL may not be known 10 many gentlemen here,
that certain fundamental principles were clearly and
distinctly passed. upon, and enuncilted by the Con-
vention in Philadelphia, IN 1857. Ifyou will pardon
me, / viii read those PROJECTIONS
Ref0frej, That the following propositions be re-
carried a. the sentiment Of this Convention
l. There are certain diseases which may be intro
ducei into q cOmmunity by foul vessels and cargOes,
and diseased crews and passengers
=. These diseases are smallpox, and, under certain
circumstances, tyPhus fever, cholera, and yellow
fever.
3. When the latter diseases are introduced in this
manner. their action j. limited 70 individuals coming
within their immediate influence. and cannot become
epidemic, unless there exist in the community the
circumstances which are calculated to produce such
disease, independent Of the Importation
From this it i evident that smallpox il the
disease, Of all others, that may be introduced
q. by foul vessels and cargOes, and diseased crews
and pas-cngcr.' This being evident to the
Convention, the body Of the work treats Of infcc-
ton by yellow fever and cholera.
Il would appear by this work that the author
itie- Of B1-ton do Mt quarantine vessels for any
contagious disease. Immigrant vessels, however.
subject TO examination, aud IN cizcs Of sick
mes tie diseased arr cared for.
IN New York, AMI 70 far as we can find in
every other seaport on the coast Of the United
States, quarantine laws are framed and their pro-
visions enforced. In New York, the deaths by
number from four to Fix hundred every
year. and yc; vessels, crews and passengers are
to the following regulations
.'.AI vessel. arriyin. at thi, port. between April
1T and November Let, from infected places, or hly-
Ing On board any residential or contagious or infec-
tious disease, shall remain ~ quarantine AZ least
days, AMI twenty after their cargo has been
discharged and are subject to such further quaran-
tine a. the Commissioners 81 Health may prescribe.
ali other vessels are detained for a visit 1t the quar-
milne, and II found healthy, are permitted up but
not, are subject 20 quarantine a. the Mayor and
Commissioners Of Health may direct Steam vessels
disease on board are subject also 10 detention, a
Inc Board Of Commissioners may orler.
The crews and passengers, with their baggage,
& all infected vessels, or those subject 20 quarantine.
he last case Of disease, and ten days after their arr
unless sooner discharged by the Mayor and !
Health Commissioners. 7
If 1t i necessary to quarantine infected vessels
n New York, between the months Of April and
November, where the disease l. ever present. we
that the necessity for quarautiuing holds .
,od the year round in this latitude, and where =
yc have no sporadic cases.
The last paragraph quoted provides that pas e
cngcr- and crews with their baggage shall De- t
rtuin.i Cor fifteen iay- after tie appearance pr q