The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-10
EEW ORLEANS BULLETIN
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NEW ORLEANS, APRIL 10, 1870
QUARANTINE.

UU hHAN llNus
7. was good thing in Judge Ha.Skins to
knock the quarantine swlndlo q t"eh'y-iouf
thousand dollars out of the General hppro-
r,ria,ion act. Whether the action OF the Judge
will .hold water" or not is yet TO be seen, but
il was q GOOD deed, even II it only showed
what he would have done. Before Il
j, 100 late our leading merchants should have
Al interview with tbs Board Of Health tor
the purpose Of demonstrating with its mem
bers against closing the port Of New Orleans.
Under section 30i9, Revised Statutes, It is
provided that upon the advice Q! tne Board OF
Health and upon their information declaring
amp place an infecte place, if they have reason
to believe such place to have @ pe5tilenta!
contagious or infectious disease, the Gov
ernor Of the State shall issue proclamation
requiring quarantine to be performed by all
vessels coming from the same. the term beng
left to the caprice Or j1dsmea. Q. the Coy
eruor.
The question Of the necessity OF quarantine
is left almost entirely to The physician APP
pointed aud salaried, (at 5000 year),'to re-
main at the station Oh the Mississippi La
April, or early in Nay. the resident physl'
elan moves tie Board Of Health, and the
Board advises tie Governor to proclaim
quarantine against all vessels from any OF the
West Indian, Mexican, Central American and
South American ports. The detention OF
vessels IS for q period ranging from ten to
sixty days.
vessel NAV have sailed with q clear bill Of
health from port wholly fres from epidemic
diseases Of any kind, and, after q prosperous
voyage, during which she has touched no in
lected port, arrive at the quarantine station
with all well on board. There the rigid rule
and sweeping decree confronts her master
ana he is compelled to remain ct the Station
for several weeks. His supplies Of pro
visions may be exhausted, his crew
are always impatient after tedious voy-
age to get into port, the change from
the activity, excitement and fresh breezss OF
the open sea to the idleness, ennul, mosquI-
toes and heat of the dull and dismal quaran-
tine, induce fevers and other diseases. The
expenses Of his vessel during this irksomo de-
tention, and the wages Of his crew, eat up a
large part of his frcights. Soma Of his sail
ors are sent to poor aud illsupplied hospital,
although within hundred miles of the best
Institutions in the world. Alter tedious and
rainously expensive detention, and few
swindlng fees, he is permitted to come up to
the city. When he leaves us, it IS with the
settled purpose to return with his vessel to
this port only when obliged to, and never, if
able to get freight elsewhere.
Such is the treatment met By several hun
dreas of vessels every spring and summer
orr Quarantine is a dread and nuisance to-
the maritime public, an incumbus on our
commerce, and the cause of millions Of dem
age every year. Trade is diverted from the
port Of tie great Southern emporium of ex-
BORT and distribution to Insignificant places
which have the sole merit Of being exempt
from this absurd, useless. antqulted restrlc-
ton.
The members of the Board Of Health are
and ought to be mon Of onli ghtement and
huyo the true interests Of tho city rs well as
the safety Of her citizens constantly il view.
They ought to act in an atf.ir Of such imports
nnce only upon full and correct information.
They ought not to report the existence OF
pes.ilence infection or contlsion in any port
unless they positively know such to be the
fact and know that there is actual danger
thereirom to our citizens. They ought to
recommend such detention only rs the nature
of each case may require TDey ought to do
everything in their power to leave upon mas
ters, crews, owners and shippers an impress
sion that no needless injury is done to them
on the pretext of preserving the health Of the
city.
While the Law requires him to declare
quarantine on the advice Of tho Board Of
Health, the Governor las wide discretion 70
exercise as to the ports quarantined against,
the length Of the prohibition and the number
Of DAYS Of detention. Before acting he would
welcome suggestions from our leading physi
clans, merchants ship owners and other in
!clligent citizens.