Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-12-17
A JAPANESE QUARANTINE.
How Passengers from Injected
Towns Are Trentcd-Carboitc
Acid at Random.

Acid ut Random.
Our voyage through the inland sea of
| Japan has been Il continuance of ever
varying delights, writes correspon-
dent of The Ae,o York Post. Some
rocky bluff, strengthening island
rolling mountain range. or steep head
land has been always in close view.
Although the cholera had almost dis
appeared from Kobe. whence We sailed.
yet it was still considered an infected
port. Therefore. when we reached
Nagasad, about 10 O'Clock at night,
were delivered over to the tender mer-
cies OF tn" quarantine. / had heard so
much of the process that | anticipated
no little discomfort. yet was quite
willing TO have a new experience.
AT the quarantine station where we
hove to the officers who came on board.
lett al | could in my state room. and
then joined them and the iirst-class
passengers in Il steam-launch which
was to carry Us ashore. We were es-
cortcd 10 rooms where baskets bags.
and kimonos were awaiting us. We
removed and bagged our clothes, and
leaving them in the basket. put on the
kimonO, or japanese gown. which is a
long loose wrapper Tickets of wood
were given us for our clothes Our
valuables were carefully slowed away
in bags, for which also tickets were
handed us. At the stage we put on
japanese slippers and were escorted in
company TO the bathroom. where each
was shown II separate compartment.
Here we found great stone tubs half
fall of hot water, with large faucets
for both hot and cold. and plenty of
soap and towels at hand. For one,
certainly had fine bath
When came out | was with all def
erence conducted up Il flight of stone
steps to building on the hill. with
charming view of the harbor. Here
was shown into one of several comfort
able sitting-rooms. One by one the
rest followed me. a cup of tea was
brought TO each one of us, and anyone
who so desired took a cigar or cigar
cite. We chatted there pleasantly for
half IN hour, when our clothes were
brought up in bags. They had been
baked in a heat of PIP degrees. which
was supposed to have burnt out all their
depravty. In the rooms where we
dressed again were beds provided with
mosquito netting and every other com
tort
About midn chit we steamed back
The snip had been fun gated in our alb
sscncc, ana the smell of carbolic acid
was everywhere. But we had no re-
son Tor complaint, for we had had
free sail out and back. with free bath
and free lunch thrown in.
Nag@saki Is not an infected port. yet
the people all along the coast greatly
dread the cholera The precautions
they take have certainly the merit of
being at once inexpensive. inoiiensivc.
ineffective and lud lcrouS
We made our first stop ut the Goto
Islands, and / started TO 20 ashore for
IN hour. just ~ | was going down TO
the 'dHipdH-a large rowboat-the Of !
ficcr politely touched me, evidently re-
guessing the pleasure OF squirting car
bolr acid over me from very print |
tive KIND of atom ger which he held in |
his hand. l acquieSced, received a few !
drops and went ashore. n safe man. |
The next morning. when | was about |
TO land again at Trushima. | was not |
surprised to see an official approaching |
with large tin watering power, from |
which he spoutcd carbolc acid upon |
me. / began To think it possible that
at some stopping place | might be Of
fercd bath or Il pack in the same !
magical acid
At Fusan we encountered more spat-
tering OF the drops over the deck and
upon the crew. At this the captain
grew very angry, but the quarantine
flag was soon hauled down and we
were again pronounced diSinfected.
must say for the officers that thcv
seemed to feel the childishness Of their
precautions, and did their work in
very deprccating. self-disparaging.
d sort OF n way.