Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-29
National Board OF Health
THEIR ANNUAL REPoRT-woRK DONE AND TO
DONE.

IL
The annual report OF the national board of
health, for the fiscal year 1882 which was sub
mtted TO she Secretary OF the Treasury to-day.
gives sketch OF the scope and character OF the
miscellaneous Investigations conducted under the
auspices OF the bolrd during the year, and sur
veys the history OF legislation bearing
on maritime quarantine to the pres
ent time, when, under the provisions
OF the act of June 81 1872 the board operates not
by quarantine powers vested in itself but by aid
ing state AMI municipal boards in the execution
and enforcement Of their own quarantine
rules and regulations for the exclusion OF
contagious diseases of exotic origin. AS 1t
ports through which disease might enter by the
establishment OF complete quarantine station,
certain points were selected for general stations In
aid OF an extended line or coast so that infected
ships bound for any OF the ports on that line might
undergo the necessary quarantine One OF the
sections OF the law OF June I'd, 1879 imposes ;ana-
ties on ships which enter a port OF the United
States from ali infected foreign port but the board
has found this part OF the law imperative, mas
much as one or It's clauses requires the prOmulga-
ton or the law In the foreign ports, and the au-
thorlties OF Cuba would not permit this promulga-
ton to be made. 1t Is, therefore, strongly
amended as to require bills of health from all
vessels coming to the United States without i'm
posing upon this government the buTd OF proving
their ports OF departure to have been infected and
also that the penalties provided for the violat of
ylous official PRONUNCIATION in the said ports
Under the heading or Interstate quarantine" the
Inspection service on the Mississippi river is
described. The states OF the Mississippi valley
fearful OF the spread OF yellow fever from cases
imported into New Orleans, have required from all
vessels passing up the river from that city the
certificate Of freedom from infection of national
board OF health Inspector as the condition on
which travel and traffic Will be permitted. This
service Is reported as having worked we'll, giving
that confidence TO the people above New Orleans
which prevents alarms and panics, and permitting
free commercial Intercourse while guarding
against the invasion of disease.
What the Mississippi service is to the south In
respect TO yellow fever, the immigrant inspection
service Is TO the north and northwest as regards
smallpox. The Widespread prevalence of tits dis
importation from Europe. The time necessary for
th9 disease to develop after infection is such that
an Immigrant who has been exposed at an Eu-
rGpean port may not Sicken until after his settle
ment in western state. To prevent this importa-
ton ana spread. inspectors have been stationed at
the ports OF entry, including Port Huron, Michi-
gan, through which there Is large Canadian
influx, and at certain OF the great
railroad distributing centers, notably at Chicago
These men pick ont and quarantine The small
pox cases and vaccinate the unprotected mmt-
grants, thus preventing foci or Infection from
being scattered all over the country. Testimony
Is given as to the value OF the work.
Reference is made to the occurrence Of yellow
fever at Pensacola and Brownsville and recon-
mendationS given for the protection OF the mouth
OF the RIO Grande. The report, after showing that
all the work undertaken and carried on success
fully by the board was clearly within the limits of
with due regard to economy closes with esiima ties
for the continuance OF its work, amounting to
Sl5O 600, with an epidemic contingent fund Of
$1C0,010