The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-20
SHIP ISLAND QUARANTINE STATION

Next to sanitation, perhaps the most I'm
portant question for rs 10 consider touching
the maintenance ~ tho citys health is that
OF quarantine. and the arrangements for tho
establishment Of quarantine station that
will be FREQ from the many and serious obiec-
| tions that exist against tho present station on
| tho Mississippi river.
| In connection with this matter we learn that
| DR.. J. s. Billings. vice president OF tho Ma
tlonal Board OF Health, and DIR. =. M Bemiss.
d member OF the board. accompanied by
Capt. Damreli, OF the United States Engineer
Corps. left this city last evening en- route for
| Ship Island, where 1t has been determined to
locate u quarantine station. which In tho very
nature Of things will be OF inoalculabe benefit
| to New Orleans. The Secretary OF War has
given permission to the National Board To
select and occupy such portion Of tho Island
as may be needed for quarantine purposes.
and tho present'vlst OF tho gentlemen men
toned above Ii to locate u site with special
reference to proximity to good anchorage for
tho ships that will necessarily be detained
| there.
This station will be used only by injected
vessels. and as soon as the improvements
contemplated have been made, notification
| will be given to nil shipmasters to report Mt
once 10 Ship Island should their Vessels boz
| come infected while IN route to Now Orleans
or Mobile This wi iot only be an
admirable and economical arrangement
| for tho vessels themselves. but will
be OF immense advantage to New
| Orleans by keeping away from our VI
olnity vessels tho mere presence OF which at
our quarantine station, below the city, would
create alarm. IL will be economical for ships.
because OF tho facilities which will be pro-
| vided for tho rapid discharge and disinfection
| or their cargoes and hulls, and for tho storage
OF freight. There will be constructed n large
warehouse and hospital, a fine wharf and
pier head, and a railroad 10 connect the wharf
with the warehouse.
| The sick will be removed from shipboard
| by an improved method whereby they will DO
kept constantly In recumbent position and
once la tho hospital they will receive every
possible attention from trained and intelli-
gent nurses and able physicians. Under the
old system that prevailed at our Quarantine
station there was not proper means OF re-
moving sick persons from vessel, and pm
TENTS, while tho fever was upon them, were
compelled to walk TO tho slide OF the ship and
climb down ladder into yawl. In which
they were pulled to tho wharf. The exposure
and exertion very naturally. In large num-
Der OF cases, proved fatal, and this accounts
for the number or deaths that occurred ut tho
station In yellow fever especially 1t Is ex-
| tremeIy Important that patients should be
kept In recumbent position, and the new ar
| pt xvb I0wRrpd
the sides OF ships In swinging cot and car
rled into tho hospital without being dis
turbed, as Is done In New York, results In q
great decrease In the mortality.
Located Ia tho Gulf OF Mexico and famed
onstantly by Its pure salt breezes, with
fine anchorage for ships. and within easy dis
lance of both Mobile and New Orleans, Ship
Isla nd Ia admirably located for quarantine
stat on, and we learn that the State Board OF
Health, MS we'll as our shipping merchants.
arc favorably Inclined to tho proposition OF
the National Board In this regard.
Those who have been compelled to remain
at the old coopod up mosquito Infected sta
ton below the city will be able to fully appre-
cate tho comforts OF Ship Island, where mos
quito bars will be unnecessary, and where
during an enforced stay, one may indulge In
the pleasures OF surf bathing, fishing, boat
ina, etc. The establishment OF the proposed
station will relieve the State OF much OF the
expense II the station on the river and also
or that OF the Rigolets, as only vessels free
from Infection will report at either place. IL
indeed 1t be not found advisable to do away
with the present station on the river alto
gether and establish one at or near the
mouth.
members OF the National Board will visit
Galveston and other seaport towns OF Texas,
with the view or ascertaining the best point
at which to locate a similar quarantine sta
tion on the Texas coast, as Ship Island would
| be much too distant