New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-20
Local Intelligence.

AN OFFICIAL IHTERvIEw OK THE QUAR-
ANTINE QUEsTIoN.-Dr. Brown, surgeon
in the United States army is commissioned
to gather information from all prominent
points, for the purpose of reporting Onthe
practicability of establishing quarantine at
different ports by. the United States gov
ernment-making it a national Institution.
At ten o'clock yesterday morning Drs
Warren Stone, C. B. White, president OF
the Board of Health, j. P. Davidson, NJ. +.
Bonzano, w, H. Hire, A. F. Arson, Hon.
james Graham, DIR. Mas, Hon. j. S. Wal
ton and F. G. Remick assembled in the
Mayors parlor to discuss the subject with
DR.. Brown.
Mayor Flanders read the act of Congress
directing the investigation, and Dr.. Stone
was invited to preside.
DR.. Brown brehylstated the purpose of
his mission, and his desire to obtain all the
information possible on the subject of quar-
antine laws-as to their usefulness, and. the
benefits or evils that might result from the
government of the United States assuming
to control the matter
DR.. Stone was very prompt AID decided
in the opinion that quarantine restraints
did 40 good but we're a source Of great in
convenience. In his argument he said he
had known yellow fever to prevail even ii
one part of the city and not in another, and
thought the better opinion was that yellow
fever was not contagious disease, like
smallpox; said he had.knOwn persons who
had passed through yellow fever epidemics,
and then were taken down with house fever
by the filth resulting from the epidemic
and carelessness. Such causes, he said,
were readily relieved by the use of malt
liquors. The filth resulting from yellow fe-
yer produced house fever, but not yellow
fever Said he had known of sforty cases
of yellow fever taken from an emigrant ship
into the hospital, but that the disease did
not spread in the hospital; but in a short
time afterward the city was visited with a
severe epidemic. DR.. Stone thought incu-
baton of the disease resulted in about fifty
hours. He was very explicit in stating that
the disease might exist in given locality,
but no one would take it unless they went
there; yet the disease having broken out at
place would radiate therefrom.
DIR. G. B White was persuaded the dis
ease was local, and not contagious like
scarlet fever and smallpO On these
points he fully agreed with DR.. Stone
On these points DR.. Davidson also CON
cured. 7
DR.. Hire addressing DR.. StOne) inquired
if the appearance of the disease had not
been satisfactorily traced to importations.
DR.. Stone thought not, and referred to
certain sickness traced to a ship from Bra
iii, which did not turn out to be yellow
fever, but was African fever.
Dr. Brown spoke of Professor Gidding's
opinion that an infected air might be carried
in ships.
DR.. Stone agreed in that opinion, but. had
never been able to trace a case. Even in
such cases, those only who breathed the
infected air would take the disease.
DR.. jackson said the great difficulty was
the contrariety of opinion as to whether the |
disease was OF was not contagious.
The methods of barricading the streets
and the firing of cannon we're Fidiculed, and
DR. Stone related the incident of family |
residing up the coast, on the edge of the |
piney woods taken down with yellow
fever, all of whom died, except the one |
4AASL tuhbn uUWug anu Jub CIRCUMSTANCE VI |
his sickness 1t had been stated that he |
had been out on the bluff and saw a steam |
boat from New Orleans, when he suddenly |
clasped his nose, exclaiming, 81 smell the |
feverP [Laughterl
Dr. Brown inquired what similarity |
there is between yellow fever and dengue
fever
Dr. Stone-There is no similarity.
Mayor Flanders said the people of New
Iberia thought they escaped the epidemic
year before last because Of the quarantine
established above and below them, the dis
ease prevailing generally beyond those
limits.
Dr Brown desired to know the opinions
OF the gentlemen present as to the propriety
OF the general government taking charge of
the question OF quarantine, and to control
the same, to the exclusion of local State au-
thOrity.
Drs Stone and Davidson thought it would
not be advisable; they did not think federal
authority could do any better than State
authority. f !
Mr.. Graham Auditory was opposed to it
because the federal government was every
year encroaching more and more on the
rights of the States.
Dr. Brown said he did not propose to dis
cuss any political issues-tbat he had moth
ing to do with political questions.
The Mayor referred to the Galveston
quarantine last year, and understood the
import of Dr. Browns inquiry covered the