The New York herald., 1879-02-28
INF ECT ED RAGS.
Precautions Needed to Avert the Introduction
Of ContagiOn from Russia.
KEEP OUT THE PLAGUE.
Safety rpendent on a Strict Quarantine Of
the Ports Of Entry.

A few days since the HERALD published an article
in which it shown that foreign rags the value
OF nearly SlO,oOo,OOO annually received at this
port. and also that most of this enormous quantity
is shipped to us from Russian and Mediterranean
ports. In view of the fearful pestilence which is
now devastating portions of Russia the following
opinions of present and past health authorities,
as expressed to HERALD reporters yesterday touch
ing the necessity of quarantnng imported rags from
Russia and also in regard to the likelihood of conta
gion being spread by rags clothing, deserves
serious attention.
Dr.Lewis A. sayre, ex-Resident Physician of New
York. the former official title of tho Health Officer
said What you want to get at in the first place is
Can a poison be transmitted by rags or clothing I?
Can the germs of any disease be imprisoned in cloth
ing and transmitted to distant parts there under
proper surrounding circumstances, be capable of
pfopagatng the original disease with which they
contaminated? If that question can be an
swered in the affirmative that settles the whole
ter in regard to the necessity protection by quar-
antine. That this fact is true in regard to Asiatic
cholera am positive, and by reference to my pub
lished official report to the Commissioners
Of Health, in 1866, sufficient amount of
statistical facts will be found to prove the
correctness of this statement. Whether these same
views would be applicable to the plague have had
no personal experience that would justify me in
speaking with positiveness. do of cholera, with
which have had experience. l think that rags
coming here from Russian ports or from countries
adjacent to the infected territory should be disn-
fected and the poison eliminated before they per-
mitted to be exposed for commercial purposes. The
principles in case of cholera laid in the report
mentioned, should. think. be applicable to every
other portable or specific communicable disease"
Subjoined a,few extracts from the annual re-
port OF DR.. Sayre. showing among other things the
.tions the only means OF warding of contagious
diseases not endemic in this country
~ HOW THE CONTRACTION ,os CAN BE wAnDED OFF.
se 80 ns"f % the sav aaa sahs % sw s past
ripe for its reception with its filthy streets It's over
crowded tenement houses is obstruesd sewers the de-
condition OF climate ready TO spread its infectious in
rayagcs by the rigid enforcement of rerna
.on system or plan which has shown such good
tsntion II not 70 command our approval Leaving of
or os as :, '' sesd
among the most we admit that at
tons.
The greatest be taken in cleaning and disn
fectng personal effects and clothing these contain the
an indefinite period Body clothing and bedding on which
@ or or soe nsed M % sS
sccretions from the bodies Of persons who die Of
"'s"..J "'oe..o"e "nu w sie ne"it"y
The fact which has been established by the in
shore with wind the most Of the time setting
h s sS spae@ s os o w
e one tSai SUI created in %Ga frSm s
whence has spread to other portions Of the world al
the tho upon this rs" ss' ea%
ON this n cam only a here eS1 %
Importation.
NECESSITY FOR THE IsrnsvEsrroS OF CONGRESS
Ss Nss York Is asses9 y Lana as well as and
every seaport town npon the entire coast there is
seaport towns BY railroad
@ Kin Of or n ns
ing uniform, Of quarantine regulations At port Of
reyenue and has the right TO- close the ports Of
AND wh should Sr s s q sSsS Ss con
proper quarantine establishment kept under military
cnt It sometimes happens that the port Of entry,
@ @ W., sr s s ss bs % sI S on two
Place tor M under the nrsdIcon Of
that it should be placed under the control of the
The general S would not NOT Hesitate
the country from invasion by foreign foe
in the for Of armed fleet How much necessary
then that the same precautions should be taken against
tive human lite than fleet equipped with Armstrong
WHAT DIR. JAMES THINKS
DIR. James, assistant sanitary superintendent, on
being asked what he thought OF the necessity of
quarantining imported rags from Russia. i'll view of
the plague now existing there. sad:-"Rags that
supposed 10 come from a locality where they are
likely have been m contact with any suffering
from the pestilence ought to be admitted into this
country only after great care and caution. Ii 1t H.
fact published that the first OF the plague in
Russia originated from shawl which d soldier
brought from battle field In Turkey and gave to his
sweetheart think that in itself ought to be suf-
ficent argument in favor of the danger OF infection
from articles of clothing from that district and of
course rags under the same denomination"
There is. then. no doubt that wearing apparel and
hal1t w flnrl I'm nf fhfrpf
may retain Tor length of time the germs of
tagous disease, and thus under certain conditions,
iiiipart the maady to new victims?'
''None whatever. Instances are numerous where
smallpox, typhus fever and similar diseases have
been communicated by means of clothing. The
necessity would exist for quarantining rags,
which might have been exposed to the plague in
Russia You may state. however. that we have no
apprchensions OF danger from that source at
present.
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS NEEDED.
"Dut do you not think that the occasion demands
extra precautions on the part Of the national, State
anu city authoritiesY
II think IL would be very judicious for our au-
thorities to guard against the indisc rminate i'm
portation of rags at present. especially from that
portion OF Europe whore the pestlcnce may have
made its appearance. 1t is said that the rags
compressed by steam power before shipment. but
whether they exposed TO sufficient degree OF
heat to destroy any conagion they might contain 1
here to prevent any unpleasant results arising from
imported rags. For instance, any consignee OF
cargo OF rags before such cargo s unloaded has to
pledging himself not TO break the bulk of any oi the
bales which generally strapped with iron hoops
or cords, 80 long the same shall remain within
She limits of the city aud county OF New York.
You see in that respect the city has more or less
protection from any danger that might otherwise
arise from infected rags"
"what about the risk from clothing and personal
ELECTS brought by emipants or seafaring nieni
II think that danger might reasonably be ap-
pretended from articles of clothing brough hit from
the locality OF the plague than from ordinary rags.
because the clothing would be more difused, handed
hround while the rags conveyed IN bulk to their
final destination. OF course the disease might he
brought here In that way by emigrants, aud in view
of this possibility would suggest the fumigatng
and disnecting OF the effects of cmigrants and also
the adoption OF such additional quarantine reguia
tons applying to persons coming from that part or
Europe as would render u next to impossible for the
disease TO be communicated 10 our people here
Sanitary superintendent Day. on being requested
by the writer to give his views In regard to the
cessity for quarantnng rags imported from Russia,
nippantly replied II have views whatever to give
the HERALD on the subject" and tnis well paid