Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-27
ISOLATION.
How the Quarantine Station at Ship
Island is Cut OF From the
Main Land.
DR.. FOrmentO's Resolution
Aimed at the Management
Of the N. ID. H, and NOT
Of the n. n. \.
nov Orlsanl PiaAnune. 3.

New Orleans PisAgune. Is.
At the special Meeting Of the Board
of Health, held on Monday evening
last, che following resolutions. offered
By DR.. Formento, were adopted:
WHEREAS, There is danger of
yellow fever being introduced into
New Orleans through unrestricted
communication between Ship Island
and the coast of the State Of Missis-
sippi;
Be it resolved, That the Governor
Of the State of Louisiana be requested
to call the attention OF the Governor
of Mississippi to this fact, and urge
him to take stringent measures to put
a stop to this dangerous intercourse.
Be it resolved, That the general
government be requested through the
proper authorities TO order that no
communication should be held be
tween Ship Island and the Mississippi
coast.
As the preamble implied that the
Marine Hospital Service was derelict
in duty in either wilfully or negli-
gently permitting unrestricted CONS
munication between Ship Island and
the coast of the State of Mississippi"
a representative of the Picayune
called upon DR. John Godfrey, Ma
rine Hospital Surgeon at this port,
for the purpose of ascertaining the
facts in the case.
DIR. Godfrey said there was nothing
further from the truth than the in.
ference implied in the preamble; and
while he had no idea of convincing
the introducer of the resolution to the
contrary, he would state the condi>
ton of affairs at Ship Island in re-
gard to non intercourse with the coast
Of the State of Mississippi, in order
to correct the impression which some
might have after reading the resolu
ton.
DR.. Godfrey said that Ship Island
was as isolated as human means could
make it, and that no General, with all
the military appliances about him,
could possibly make it more so.
Non>in .ected vessels are not per.
mitted to anchor within TWO miles of
the lighthouse station without being
subjected to penalties and qusrantiDed
as long as the officer in charge may
deem necessary. Even the light
house keeper is Quarantined for the
entire season by direction of the Light
house Board.
Relays of boatmen row around the
guaranteed feet from dark until day.
break, and there is a daily roll call of
all the crews in the feet. Should
any one be found missing the officer 10
charge at once reports the fact to the
several boards ofhealth along the coast
Of Mississippi and to DR.. Godfrey at
New Orleans.
The vessel that furnishes supplies
from Biloxi to Ship Island does not
approach nearer than two miles, the
supplies being deposited upon a fl at
anchored at that distance off in the
bay. These supplies are taken of
the fat by a boats crew, and the
mails, after being thoroughly disinfec.
ted, are left upon the fat to be taken
BY the next trip Of the supply vessel
from Biloxi.
In conclusion, DR.. Godfrey desired
to thus publicly thank DR.. Joseph
Jones, the President of the State
Board of Health, for the following
expression, as oct of justice, in answer
to the resolution, in defense of the eff
forts which the Marine Hospital Ser
vice had made and were making to
isolate Ship Island and prevent the
spread Of the fever to the mainland:
"Dr, Jones said that since the sta
ton at Ship Island had passed into
the hands Of the Marine Hospital
Service, 1t has been guarded with
great strictness, and he did not believe
that there was any justice in attacks
on it; He believed that Surgeon Gen
eral Hamilton and his assistants were
exerting their utmost to isolate the
place.. and he felt sure it was being
done"
It is probable that DR.. Formento
based his resolution upon we'll sub
stantiated faCta Of the quarantine man
agement at Ship Island as it was
conducted by the officers of The
National Board Of Health a year
ago.