New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-01
HoW QUARANTINE rs MANAGED.
COMMISSIONER JUDD's VIEWS ON THE MATTER
oIrEsrInN E1Es SALARY.

COMMISSIONER JUDD's VIEWS ON THE NATTER
THE QUESTION OF FEFs OR SALARY
Quarantine Commissioner David W. Judd has written
two interesting articles upon the subject of The New
York Quarantine" for Tho American Agrculturist"
The second handsomely illustrated, appears in the
January number In ending the article Commissioner
Judd makes the following observations:
enlarged with delicate duties and having no little
responsibility resting upon his shoulders the Health
officer is wisely and justly entrusted with large discre
tionary powers Indeed. the Quarantine law, after des
ignatlng his various functions adds: 1t shall be the
duty Of the Health Officer in the presence OF immediate
danger to take the responsibility OF applying such add
tonal be deemed Indispensable ior tpe
protection Of the public health All the fees IN Quarah
tine 20 to the Health officer They are derived from
boarding foreign vessels. boarding eoastWlse
vessels night boarding, fumigation and vacci
nation He receives SO 80 for boarding
vessels from foreign ports ami from to three dollars
from coaswise vessels Foreign vessels are boarded the
year round Coastwse vessels are boarded from April
until November 1t is rather noteworthy that the law
providing for these boarding fees, which was passed In
1920, is still in operation.
During the fifteen years the writer has been Qlaran
tine Commissioner he has maintained that the Health
Ocer should receive liberal salary and that the fees
should be devoted to dcfrayng expenses, thereby re-
moving the necessity of any appropriations from the
| State Legislature for the maintenance. While the
advocacy of this policy has, OF course provoked oppos
ton often Of an unpleasant character, the writer ia con
hdent that 1t will later be adopted by the state
Naturally Health Officers In the past have declined to
surrender their fees and yet the Health Officer In the
future who should voluntarily come forward ana advo-
cate the substitution of salary for fees would insure
great popularity for himself and disarm the criticism
which generally is made too often unusyl regarding
any department OF government where the ice 5! stem
prevails The Quarantine Commissioners. VINO receive
an annual salary by law made the custodians OF me
Quarantine Department. enact such rules and regua
tons as they may deem necessary for the care and pro-
lection OF the entire establishment
They, at the same time. constitute boatu Vi %
which any person may appeal from the decision OF tue
Health Officer, their decision being final Whie tnee
fore tho Health Officer has the care or the SANITARY
portion the Commissioners are entrusted with the hsca
mana cement OF the department. may add In closing
after yellow has ceased 10 be regarded with
any apprehension both Health Officer and the Commits
sioners now likewise apprehend difficulty in success
| fully coping with cholera when the repairs now re
quired are made to the Quarantine buildings and Other
necessary changes and recommendations carried out
That is to say, while visitation OF cholera is anci-
paied in the spring IL 10 believed that the present quar-
antne establishment, when put in perfect order RODS
the scourge Of the terrors which 1t once possessed