New-York tribune., 1875-01-18
THE QUARANTINE.
vpv. WORKS. IMMUNITY PROM IMPORTED
DISEASE

.,y rpuR METHODS OF PROFIT trtoN-Ay IN
PORTED EPIDEMIC or CHoLE a. AND YELLOW
yEyrR PRACTICALLY mp SssmIR-CoNDIIIoN
OF THE DEPARTMENT.
The third annual report c.f Or, 6 Oakley Wander
noel Health Officer of t. e Port of New York, which
has been sent to tho President of the Quarantine
Commissioners. sbo'Sa that there has been large
falling of in the humber of cases of contagious diS
Ease brought from. abroad to this city during the
post year, Dr. VandeFpOel also gives hls ldes ol '
rrue methods of quarantine, which would prac'-
sa,ly preyent INV opidemcs as Of cholera or yeiio"
fever The lnaln points of the report are gwen
low: ,,,Dopr
Ic presenting my third annu" i'PO' "
.lna.ure 10 state that less Sickness 0i coN|h'uS
- ,snsmissible character has entered the port ulah
-. uy sesson for several years past. sixtyeight
- ., sckncss have been removed from vessels
'rneye have been II Of smallpox exposing S'Z20
rsons as compared with 6So cases exposing IOSVO lu
s-a and 81 cases exposing 59j In 1873 of snip leNe
cases a. compared With In 1872, and II cases III
asqs Of yellow fever, II cases. compared with "a
IN 1872 and In 1873 No cnoleTa has entered
h,e port ia 1874 Various have cOnduced TO pro
auoe these results, the principal Of which are rs
follows;
L One chief cause for the diminished amount OF sick
ness Is the great sling Oh iO Tue number OF eDanS
Who have arrived not reaching half the number VI 100
The result Of sanitary supervision at th,s po POI 40
bN-
lciually present vessels but the enforcement d
penc conditions in all that pertains 10 .o a n' npIn
heir welfare while on the pasasse 1I' ts9 n tha,r De
runiary advantage by instisuting salta,y up
Of all emigrants before the Nessel leaves net t,,
port-those actually sick, possibly threatened WIN
sickness are hds coming oA oOaiN
sH & the placed in trust Of protecting
whole population from the ncursions OF trdnsnSslOe
diseases without only partially peiiSGme@a @ SnVn,
with the scruplOus care ana eAatti e, ne ueteI
mines the absence OF disease on mo particular verse;
TIamned lie must take ~ the sanitary cOndltOn ana
surroundings OF the VesseI itseii must
enirers wherein, though sickness Is not acluay
present. they become aenabie 10 Violations OI saharS
iawt, presentnE, 1t be- all the conditions when an
epiaeIDlc incursiOn should be feared.
II when pointing out these violations OF sanitary laws
assurance is given that by complying with these simple
and palpable sxoms they enter with almost lupu-
~inout case Of sickness occurring. Rnd result
OF precautions are liable to modlncd res rltous
when entering this port 1t far 10 solve the problem
of preventing tTansIn,sOn v these infectious dis
eases and tends 10 cOnae tnem - more aud more IT.
All cxpenence shows that such efforts are far moro
.nective when employed IN the place Of inception
w0en attempted after the epderic gained head
way. TO tins end do the present AO0fs VI sAutaIlaus
tend Tue many futTe attempts ON the part OF Govern
nepts and municipalities. duriuZ the past 40 years, 10
prevent the spread of the cholera scoursc has length
demonstrated that the great enot Tor tho prevention OF
DO Inade IN the place or places, oil It's
origin InssIe Te!ayey ated' ana Observation w snT
ernmental restrictions We stand here IN somewhat
similar relation the disease when raysgng Europe,
6anges Tney have found tnat tine oGief re7triclye
should made at the new starting fOcl the vessels
themselves II successful here Wine the dSeAse Is con
hped to restricted hli It's further are s"y
70 this field tuen. should de Efforts VI sanitary nspec-
IjOn u chiefly directed.
ke longer regarded a. passive Instruments IN the
Transmission OF the disease Dut that upon them de-
ISOLATION, cleanliness destruction OF soied clothing and
aisiuecOn, ana that following these efficiently
the disease be Juguiaed; that as result O sueh
souOn the sanitary officers are enabled 70 mitigate Ia
Aue proportion the period OF their detention Almost
All passenger travel IA conducted by the steamships
lher depends upon the regularity and speed OF
aIps. Tuc wh them -, thea factor VI the blgHest
Importance. WO have therefore, the double incentive
pecunary gam aud sefproservation 10 stimulate "
hhe most efficient efforts.
Happily the principal steamship lines recognize and
appreciate this. Every vessel nov carries an eXper-
sneed DedleaI nincef ana uVn he nIst appearance VI
ssnIagOus disorder special isolated hospital Is at once
Esto immediate use. Knowing that tue responsibility
the mere transportation OF pAssengers
that their arrival here they hold rRid ac
,rans6ortou OF Infectious diseases tney cause care
iu examination OF all sIeeTago passengers to be msdo
previous TO their coming on board the steamer.
parent In the comp tTtvely small number OF OF
smallpox winch nave entered tho port during the past
year. Wne the disease has been prevalent usual
Il European countries very have their way
tue passenger shp During the nrst year OF my al
anistra ion, when emigration was active scarce woek
elapsed but smallPo1 was on some vesseE this year II
kae Ueeu mere EleliOr.
We account upon similar reasons for the few OF
yellow fever which have arrived.
II s tine practical Working O these principles carried
by masters OF vessels which has enabled dur
the past Summer to be more lenient than been
pointed out, aud the result Is shown follows: In
ls7A vessels gntered in 1873, ll2; In 1874 &C.
show also that the commercial facilities may be
increased without lisk aud that monopoly exlsts III
the khteTing, sitVcd1Ilg, &c. there were 19 itenses
granted Tor these purposes IA 1871 "a IN 1873 anu 20 III
llI
Nor can II be said the comparative immunity from yell
loS fever owing to Its want OF prevalence its
taVOrite haunts. The epidemic at Havana ducing the
Summer especially malignant in the proportion OF
deaths to those attacked, rising am informed 10y
Of the principal phyeians Of that place 10 near 30 per
cent There nave Jleu When the number attacked
has been but lew when the Of
fay more severe. 1t will Ce observed that OF tue
- cases III hospital largo number were cOORBtiV
iaral Fever, tine appearance VI WHICH, to tie 1eIperi
enced observer - sDar TO that OF yellow fever
prudence, wr as the necessity OF guarding the
sGamnnlty from unnecessary alarm dictates their
DOval from the Tho location Of the hospitals
such with uucQued Tratit ventilation and sunlight,
1bat the rick diseases
senioyed 10 DIX Island tnan II allowed 10 enter other
The material condition OF the quarantine property is
Satisfactory. Daring the past year TIE repairs the
lsltudH ana boats been such would necessary
ao Hautaln In eOOd order that species Of perlshaDe
properly.
Dr. Vanderpoe, then speaks Of the material condition
Of the quarantine property which he says Is satsfac
tory. He aferwArt refers 10 the advantages Of the
boarding STATION. In the conclusion OF bs report
says For the first time since has the State in
bel fee Possessed al the facilities resisting the
transmission Of contagious diseases. They are now
ssDsider ample 10 meet any emergency" the report
ends with this tribute to the associates the Health
Officers:
lean bat reiterate the expressions OF both my preyi
TepOrs for the integrity and ability in the perform
OF bCir respective trusts OF DT. MossT
sUtYe Officer, anI the deputies Drs. Thompson aud
haCsTtDeT.