The New York herald., 1873-11-15
DIR. yASDERPoEL on QUARANTINE.
The Last Session OF the Public Health
observation-disclosures In Regard TO
Quaru utfue.

The Last Session OF the Public Health
observation-disclosures In Regard 10
Quarantine.
The Sanitary Conference held another session
yesterday afternoon In the court room OF the
Police Department, DR.. stephen Smith In the
chair. fss#tr.n Is wt4 tffsHeE& 1HF
~ DR.. w. Swirdy submitted lengthy account OF
the cases OF cholera which occurred In Pittsburg
during the present year. That the cholera did not
become epidemic was, In his opinion, due to the
remoteness OF the anected locality from the popu-
lous portions OF the city, rendering isolation easy
and to the immediate disinfecton-by carbollc
acid sulphate OF iron, &c.-and destruction, by
fire, OF everything-evacuations bedding. carpets,
clothing, &c-nkely to convey Injection.
DIR. Elwyn Waller, OF this city, read report upon
disinfection and disiniectants giving the
chemical composition OF all the dsinlectants in
use
DIR. Harris, the secretary, stated that a number
OF contributions on sanitary subjects had been re-
the country. All the States OF the Union with the
single exception OF Mississippi, had contributed
something to the deliberations OF the association.
DR.. yanderpoel gave his views In regard TO quar-
antine matters. He said he was well aware that
some people thought quarantine measures were
quite supernuous. SO long, however, as human
nature remained what 1t was, quarantine meas
ures would be necessary. England stood to-day
at the head OF the purely hygienc school; but Eng
land stood in very peculiar position, on account
of Its climate Yellow lever OF course, could never
decimate the English nation as 1t could this.
system to q very great degree. New York held
constant relations with yellow fever ports Steam
ers reached here rom Havana and Jamaica within
the time OF incubation or yellow lever. During the
last summer 162 cases OF yellow fever were taken
from ships in the bay and treated in the hospitals.
Now In regard to cholera, 1t was likely to be
brought into port at any moment, on account OF
the enormous emigration from every part OF Eu.
rope Boston and Portland were quite out OF the
range OF yellow lever, and even the quarantine
rules necessary in New York would be quite mis-
placed In Philadelphia. There could, therefore, be
no uniform national system OF quarantine. Every
steamer and every case required dinerent
treatment. We required OF the Havana
steamers. for instance. that they make
1t in three days. At first he had thought that 1t
would be best to have quarantine warehouses, but
he was Of different opinion now. The steerages
OF the steamers which now came into port were
much cleaner than they were year ago. The of-
GERS OF the steamers understood now that II their
until they were thoroughly cleaned. The quaran-
tine buildings of New York had cost some 81 600 000
Quarantine in Europe had been trammeed and
hampered by antiquated notions, but this country
stood ready to accept all the reforms OF sanitary
science This was really not quarantine, but
merely sanitary inspection. .fcp
DR.. Miller, OF Chicago, asked what sort OF dlsin
fectant he usedf
DR.. vanderpoel-I think there Is no disinfectant
like pure air, and we have plenty OF 1t in the bay.
(Applause.) ts. r
DR.. A. p. Bell said quarantine now rather pro-
NOTED commerce than hampered 1t.
DR.. Elisha Harris moved that a committee be ap-
pointed to report on the subject OF quarantine to
the next annual meeting.
The association then rendered a vote OF thanks
to the press for their faithful reports and adjourned
till November, 1874