The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-21
QUARANTINE INVESTIGATION.
The Committee on Commerce and
Navigation ut Work.
Testimony Of Witnesses-The Health Officer Act
ing According to Lsw-Dr. Carnochan'sAn-
swer to Charles H. Marshall's Charge.

ueIce anu NAVIGATION, appOlDteu 10 investigate Iuo
affairs OF Quarantine continued It's abors yesterday
at the St. Nicholas Hotel. with MIR. Alberger as
Chairman. Messrs. Campbell and Judd are the other
members OF the committee.
Mr.. George w. White late O Quarantine oflcer;
MIR. H. G. Quinan, Treasurer OF the Atlantic Mail
Steamship Company: Mr.. Marshall, OF Charles H.
Marshall h Co.; Mr.. John F. Williams and Others
were examined. The evidence was voluminous but
or little importance. The witnesses complained Of
the detention OF vessels at Quarantine but the wit
nesses whose ships were detained admitted cause
Tor the detention. The main fault, the majority OF
the witnesses SAID, was with the law and not with
the execution OF IL by the Health Ofcer. Mr.. Mar
snail gave testimony IN
TIE CASE OF TIE WILLIAM +. sTORBR,
in which he stated that the ships OF
his line were generally healthy He was
reminded OF the case OF the notorious
James Foster, Jr., and mad his attention
called TO the fac. that the william r. StOrer had
forty persons on board sick with fever, OF whom
eight or ten died. 1t was for OBTAINING this ship at
Quarantine ana charging the usual fees for attend
ing PATIENTS fumgation, &C., that the Messrs. Mar
shall principally complained TO the Commissioners OF
Quarantine and through them to the Governor. AS
the objections to the present administration o. Quar-
antlne have already been published the repetition
OF them, as given in the lengthy testimony taken
yesterday, seems unnecessary.
Tue only matter OF importance before the commit.
Tee was the following answer OF the Health Onicer
TO the charges preferred against him. winch was
handed III as evidence
ANSWER TO CHARGES.
HEALTH OFrtCERs DEPARTMENT.. |
QUARA NTiNE, s. j., Dec. 49, ls71.{
TO His Excelency JOIN T. HOFFMAN,, Governor of New
sIRBeng advised in the month of September that
Charles Marshall Co.. respecting certain charge for ser.
yees under s that complaint Nd been
invesugation addressed them mmnnicaon in answer
o,lp, advised the Commissioners reduced the bill to
whoS reaied 70 sum which was satisfactory to the
that such reduction was made in gross on the total
regard to the particular OF which they were
possd IL, deemed this an act Of Injustice not only
o. h the but for the sake Of harmony with
.tion and belief that would be the end OF the matter
n neard Of nnS Of their action until the receipt of your
cation Of the ish instant 70 you and which upon It's face
81, cannc. withhold an EXPRESSION Of astonshmen.
this is should at this particular time be sent to the
witch therein specified existed at the Time Of their acton
Sna Should there have been maze the basis o. g
mr. ~ b. SS S as
him T. erpsesd other have sS%
theoretically practically Ny relations with s his
% that s wound o ss 10
arraign oaca conduct before Your Eyceency,
that owng pressure other they have
and hat S therefore, S was
consideration OF the real import Of what sates The
which has recently come 70 my Hnwledse, and
n ens ne % ing @
oc TSs sr,,r. ,o.,n,.,, :. .,., ux, >, ,u
perverted facts hatA directly calculated and doubt not
was directly intended for mischief. II due myself that
should be answered at length and that such facts should
be yen and that such to the law should made
guilty either Of violating law. oeih duty
Ssns she p9wer Of my SnSe but on the
ngy distorted facts and msstaed provisions law with
s 10 and me in the estimation OF Your xceency
ANIMUs OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENT
will be better Understood II take up state
mens IN detail IN the order In which they mus
me oil this reply beyond what may seem to be
/ The document in question states at the that he
bill rendered Messrs. Charles H. Marshall Co.. In behalf OF
smallpox patients the Quarantine Hospital which ac-
coans Il incurred, without knowledge
How this is the following facts will show
smallpox hospital on Blacsweis Island was overcrewded
disease The principal authorities were m" nue.
IN view OF .hs want Of proper ac.e for taxing care OF
reporting to the Board of Health arrival this
we that % Ss S 1apse @ on sGIs s
ties existed for the Of the sick at tue West Hosp
the use Of ,ae hospital was not required for other class
o ana rs ss uw that whea
tents i might be appropriated to the reception of persons
1866 section o. could objection its being for
Ss ec e Ss,s at @ On the deemed
c demanded that they should be sent there The proprey
Ssss s myself 5 s aa
is svs o that nss be opened for the reception Of the
therefore, assumed that an act manilesy
approval evident from the that they without hes
ee of psss daas the tor s % ns aus
tained. ''''' "''' ''''' 'e'
AS the bill for the expense OF their maintenance #
ID sufficient Tor me To say that II made without
any suggestion from me by the hospital super,n-
department al rates which had been By The .ne
the one Il was sent for coecon through he su D
channel of collection OF Quarantine bills, it was
Il is next alleged that the charge. in the bill to the
Health Ocers Department. except for and vac
cinaton, although informed according custom
have never received our sanction"
charges in this bill refer Exceency the enclosed
communication hereinDetore referred TO-
conceded that charges according to Gus
tom" am informed that they were not only according
by the former Commissioners and sanctioned and reestab
~ 20 .oe ., chapter as1 OF the laws
act and signed by all the present Com and
CHARGES IN the Following "ns
as Come
missoners OF Quarantine" This certificate ia dated July
then uses the above above general lanGnaee
of the aesaon quoted to me
The document next states that the of Your
the Health Officer to submit statement of the circumstances
attending the reception OF smallpox patents in the
tine hospitals and that his statement Herewith
mitted.
have no recollection of making any other statement to
them than that contained reply to Messrs. Marshall
Co., and 10 which have never received the
enclosed to Your Exccliency than
copy OF that reply shall be pleased TO- be furnished with
L. The proceeds STATE that In compliance
with Your Eycellencys desire Commissioners
CURED gen erav into alleged existing abuses partcu
larry complaints offered &C., and then submits your
consideration certain general statements.
What complaints offered not appear, /
In what manner their Investigations
mace fact the general statements" submitted do
appear based specific complaints but bear
evidence their that they conclusions drawn from
ASSUMED STATE OF FACTS.
1t Is difficult to answer all OF these general statements
without going into lengthy discussion both the law
the general administration OF quarantine; but will
submit confederation OF EIceency general
with brief references and statutes
which think cannot fail to satisfy you that the document in
missates the but aud
referred.
Fr-Ligs,erageTh impression sought to be conveyed
that the of gherage established under the act OF 1870