The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-04-13
Necessity for Quarantine kegM
IaGiOuS.
New ORLEANS, April s, 1876
Gen. Il. u. Vest.

Gen. Il. 81. Vest.
DEAR SIR: Feeling as do great inter
est in the sea-coast of Mississippi, and be-
inc solicited by the citizens residing on the
coast, to urge upon the Legislature now in
session, to establish quarantine" to pre-
vent the introduction ofyellow fever. The
prevalence of this disease at Pascagoula
Scranton, and Moss Point, for the last two
years, 1871 and 1873, are sufficient reasons
for the immediate action of the Legisla-
ture. Knowing you personally, General,
have taken the liberty to address you and
ask you to take such steps as will bring
about speedy action in framing "quaran-
tine and sanitary law' that will in the tu-
ture protect the eighty miles of sea-coast of
Mississippi left now TO the ravages of yell
low fever. Strange as it may appear, this
coast is the only unprotected line of danger
on the Gulf, Louisiana, Alabama and
Texas, having effectual Quarantine" to
protect their citizens from the infection Of
this disease.
1t is a well established fact that along the
whole Gulf coast where quarantine restric-
tons have been maintained, no apparent
introduction Of yellow fever into the coun-
try has taken place during the past two
years, save at Key West and Barancas, and
in the latter case evidence points rather to
winterng over of the yellow fever poison
than to fresh Importation"
East PaScagOula, the la1 9eSt seaport har-
Dor in the State, and from its geographical
and commercial advantages, destined to
compete with New Orleans and Mobile)
having most intercourse with yellow fever
ports, has suffered terribly the last two
years the fever from this point was trans
mitted to New Orleans and last year to
Ocean Springs and Bay st. Louis. The
President of the Board of Health of New
Orleans says: The yellow fever of the past
summer (1S75) in this city was doubtless
due to intercourse with our infected neigh
bors, East PascagOula and Scranton, Missis-
sippi." | am satisfied unless a system of
quarantine and sanitary regulations are es-
ts.blished for the coming summer to prevent
the ingress of yellow fever at Pascagoula
all intercourse between the watering places
and New Orleans and Mobile will be cut off
during the summer months, provided yes
sells coming from yellow fever ports are al
lowed to connect with the Shore without
disinfecting and cleansing sufficiently to
prevent the spread OF the disease That
all opposition may be quieted to a judieious
system of quarantine, [ mean for the lum-
Der interest, 50 dependent upon the ship
ping, | will say that, after a thorough
disinfection of the vessel, cleansing of cloth
ing, goods and merchandise to be brought
on shore. little or no delay is necess arv to
the vessel. THE evidence is abundant
indeed overwhelming-that New Orleans
was saved from terrible epidemic in 1873
by the efforts of the Board of Health its
sanitary corps, and the use of disinfectants.
Again, Mobile was saved from an epidemic
of yellow fever, the same year by. disinfec-
ton, and saved for the first time. Pensa-
cola, Memphis and Shreveport, and a
number of other places were scoa7ued with
epidemics in that year, because, as is fully
believed, of the non-use of disinfectants'
/ would rec Dmmend the disinfectants
used by the Board of Health of New Or
leans also, DR.. Perry's new system. of dis
injecting vessels. used by him in 1874 at the
Mississippi Quarantine Station. 1t is done
by mechanical appliances, and the forcing
of the gases into them, and although several
infected vessels arrived there and were dis
infected by him, in not oGe of these vessels
did yellow fever appear after the vessel ar.
rived in the city. The Quarantine law
should be so formed as to have two
Doctors and three citizens, one of
of them might be a Justice of the Peace,
constituting Board of five for Pasca ooula.
Scranton and Moss Point inclusive and
three for each OF the other sea- coast towns.
viz: Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Mississippi
City, Pass Christian and Bay st. Louis.
On each of these Boards there should be one
Doctor and one Justice of the Peace, with
power to en- force the q quarantine and sani-
tary regulations. If it should be said the
system will prove expensive, [ would sug-
gest no pay to any one acting on the several |
Boards, for the citizens mostly interested
should be willing to give their services to
the community. particularly where their |
families are exposed besides it would be /
sons have but little to do, when the Gov
ernor, upon reliable information, issues his /
proclamation against the infected yellow /
fever ports. Hoping you may put these
crude suggestions in proper shape before /
the Legislature at an early day, L remain
Yours very respectfully,
WIN. G. AUSTIN, III. d. /