Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-02

San Jose and Tallapiedra. They are situated
on wharves on either side of the ever infected
military hospital and arsenal. in a district
which is marked yellow on the map, and which
from its peculiar low and insahitary character
can furnish cases OF yellow fever every month
In the year. Here sugar nogsheads and bags
lay tored for months not forty feet from peo-
pie sick and dying of yellow fever. Is it not
reasonable TO suppose that the germs or the
disease may under such circumstances cling TO
the casks or bags and be taken on board or
vessel. My experience says they can, for many
are the vessels which have lain in the harbOr
of Havana free from disease until they began
to take on sugar.
Not all of the sugar store houses, however,
are so exposed to the virus OF yellow fever, for
some are situated so far away from centres OF
population, and their sanitary histories are so
good, that they are above suspicion.
The leaves Of tobacco enclosed in the dried
spathe of the palm tree are usually stored
In the more central perts or the city,
and may in their dirty store houses
become infected, or rather their palmy en-
velopes. There are some houses in Havana
which, owing to their peculiar structure. do
not admit of ventilation, and when once yellow
fever has effected lodgment deep in their in
nermost rooms, where current OF air never
can circulate, as small door is the only tpen-
ing into their damp recesses. it stays and in
fects each new unprotected conner and his
baggage Baggage may come from any point
of infection.
We have now seen that vessels may become
infected in the harbor of Havana !;
that they may carry t the infeeti0 ION
near wharves or near infected vessels in re-
gard to locality; that under such circumstances
they may become infected at any season or the
year; that the crew may carry the disease
abroad, and that to sugar, tobacco and baggage
the germs Of the disease may adhere and thus
infect the crew and vessel.
We have also seen that vessels may enter the
harbor of Havana at any season of the year,
discharge their cargoes in the open bay, re-
moved from any infected vessel permitting
none of their crow to go near the shore
and sail away uninfected and dangerous to no
port that they may enter.
Every port and place within the domains OF
this great nation (the United States of America)
is intensely interested in the prevention of the
Introduction of contagious and infectious dis
eases.
Havana, only ninety miles from its southern
most port, owing to the insanitary condition Of
her town and harbor, the pecu lar construction
OF her buildings and wharveS. the entire ao-
sence of effort 70 prevent the spread of infec-
tious diseases by isolation or sequeStration
and the lack of exertion to stamp them out, or
some other cause, habitually has within her
precincts two at least of these diseases, name
ly, yellow fever and smallpox Between 6O0
and ,0G0 vessels annually leave that port for
those of the United states, exposing them to the
introduction OF yellow fever in ratio ten times
greater, probably, than that from all other places
combined. OF this large number of vessels we
know that about one In eight or ten had yellow
fever occur on board viii there. Can or has
anything been d ne there to lessen the risk Of
introduction of that disease into this country?
Little or nothing has beendone by the authori-
ties there. but iG is believed that the National
Board of Health has done much. IL has tried,
and think successfully. to cause progressive
infection to be ''nipped in the bud" in Havana
by the cleansing, purifying and disinfection
of vessels and their cargoes before they start
on their eventful voyage. Vessels which have
lain at wharves are cleaused and disinfected,
before they receive their cargo, ia the open bay.
In other words, the wharf atmosphere is dis
posed of. If any suspicion attaches to the cargo,
the vessel with its contents, is again fumigated,
IL a vessel has had an infected neighbor, or If
yellow fever occurs aboard from any cause,
disinfection is practiced.
If a vessel has be at a wharf and is to go
away empty, or takes on ballast, she and it are
disinfected.
Disnfectants are used faithfully, thoroughly,
with great strength, and always under the
supervision of the Sanitary Inspector, that he
may be able to certify as to what has been
done, knowing we'll that disease germs pay
little respect to mere forms. Among the dis
infectants which have found most useful and
desirable may be mentioned sulphur, sulphate
of iron, and carbolIc acid (the last used more
for its moral than its physical effect.
The last two are used in solution in the
strength of two pounds of the iron to a gallon
and half of water, and is poured into the
bilges, and all places where dirt and filthy
liquids collect.
From twenty-five to two hundred pounds are
used in vessels, according to size.
The sulphur is of course used for the purpose
of generating sulphurOuS acid gas by combus-
tiOn and is intended to disintect the atmOS-
phere of all apartments of the vessel. by en-
ployiDg about two pounds to every LOCO cubic
feet From 25 to 200 pounds are used on yes
sells in proportion TO their size.
The actual and complete combustion of the
sulphur should be secured, aud it should be
done in manner so as not to endanger the
vessel to take fire by the breaking of utensils,
etc. To fleet this, am in the habit Of using
an apparatus consisting of three parts. First
is broad, shallow iron pan, say three or four
feet in diameter, which is set upon the deck and
filled with water. Into this is set another end
much deeper iron pan, about half the diameter
OF The former. Into the empty small pan is set
a furnace with CRATES in the bottom, similar to
those used In some places by washerwomen to
burn Goals for heating their irons.
The sulphur is put into the furnace and set
on fire. A part Of it burns in the furnace, and
a part melGs and runs down into the smaller
pan, where it is consumed. Thus combustion
is rendered complete in the two upper vessels,
and the lower large pan, with its water, insures
the vessel against fire in case of breaksge, etc
Enough of these furnaces may be used to effect
the disinfection of every apartment of the yes
sell and an appropriate size Of course can and
should be selected.
In proof of the efficiency of the cleansing
and the fumigation just noted, it affords me
much qualification to state that where vessel
has been so treated have yet to learn of a sin
gle instance Of the development of yellow fe-
yer aboard after she has left the port of Hava-
ma, on which the crew had not been ashore for
five days previous to the departure of the yes
sell lkis TO be hoped that continued expert
mentS and experience will justify us in the be-
lief that vessels can be prevented from carry
ing yellow fever into other ports from the in
fected one from which she sails.
A certificate or bill of health truthfuly de-
failing all that has happened to vessel in a
foreign port, her movements there, what has
been done to her and for her il infected, the
sanitary status of her crew, the number that
have been sick, and where, and of what-in
short, all that can possibly be known of her
is fast becoming a necessity to the prevention
of the introduction of contagious and lnfec-
tious diseases, and to sanitary science. Health
officers. the sanitary guardians Of ports, are
entitled to them, and commerce is entitled to
them.
Mystery and the concealment of facts or the
perversion of truth do immense harm to COM
merce Let all the truth be known, and then
health officer will know how to act.
He will know what to do with the one infect
ed vessel out of eight or ten which arrives at
his port. He will then be able to establish an
intelligent quarantine, founded on knowledge
of what dangers he is to apprehend. few
vessels may suffer more or less detention, but
the great mass of commerce will be greatly
benefited. The certificate or bill of health
should be issued by some one who is RESPONSE
BILE to the government to whose port the yes
sci is bound. As far as my observation goes
local boards of health are not to be relied on
for the necessary facts for Intelligent bill of
health, a certificate which conveys ali the ne
cessary information. The local board is inter
of the port to which the vessel is bound,
If health officers will impress upon captains
and others the necessity and benefit of their
demanding in foreign ports bill Of health en-
bracing all the information alluded to, from
the officers OF their government, l am conf
dent that much good may be done to shipping,
and the risk of introducing infectious diseases
greatly diminished.
The Advisory Commit submitted the
following nominations for officers for the
ensuing year:
President--Prof R. C. Kedzle, of Mich.
gan.
of New Jersey.
Second Vice President-Dr. Albert L Gil
hon, of United States Navy.
Treasurer-Dr. j. Berrien Lindsey, Of
Tennessee.
Executive Committee-Dr. James E.
Reeves, of West Virginia; DIR. Stephen
Smith, of New York; DR.. Thos. l. Neal. Of
Ohio: DR.. !. G Thomas, of Georgia.; Ed
ward Farmer, ESQ OF Louisiana; DR.. John
H. Rauch, OF Illinois.
On motion, the Secretary was instructed
to cast the vote of the association for the
nominees, and they were declared unani-
mouslv elected.
The Committee on Compulsory Vaccina-
ton and Revaccination submitted the fol-
lowing through their Chairman, DR.. James
H. Le'cher, of Kentucky.
ResoIved. That this association, through its
Committee on Compulsory Vaccination and
Revaccina'ion. ask all State medical socie-
ties and State boards of health to endeavor as
far as possible TO procure the enactment of
laws in their respective cities, counties aud
State, Compelling vaccination and revaccina-
ton.