New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-19
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
INSPECTING STEAMERS BY NIGHT
DR.. SMITH, THE HEALTH OFFICER UTTERs
WARNING AGAINST 4 BILL IN THE
LEGISLATURE.


WARNING AGAINST \ BILL IN IHE
LEGISLATURE.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir on March 4 the Hon. william " IIoag intro
duced bill in the Assembly which provides that the
Health Officer. his assistant deputy shall board and
examine every vessel carrying cabin passengers
which shall arrive the Quarantine station at staten
Island before 10 O'Clock in the evening, provided lie
Shall be requested to do by the owner agent con
signcc master OF such vessel"
In this bill becomes law. it Is safe 10 assume
that one or the other of the parties named would IN
every instance make the request. Chapter 33s OF the
Laws Of 1868 declares that the Health officer shall
board every vessel subject to visitation by him be-
tween sunrise and sunset This law amended By
Chapter H. Laws of 1-ss. follows: II shall be the
duty Of the Health officer TO board such vessels and
give pratlquc between sunset and sunrise at the re-
quest Of the oonsigncc or master OF the vessel
when such pratiquc be given without danger TO
the public health" This amendment left It entirely
in the discretion of the Health officer whether or not
to give pratiquc between sunset and sunrise. inc
object Of the present law in leaving the inspection and
clearance Of vessels after sunset to the discretion of
the Health Officer is to afford him the best opportunity
possible to detect infectious contagious diseases
with which the immigrant NAV &c Infected Every
physician of experience knows that the modified forms
Of smallpox difficult 10 detect. and yet however
mild they may be- may communicate the most olalls'
type of this disease. This disease has been de-
tcctcd at Quarantine when there were not half dozen
of the characteristic cruptons on the person. Again.
in the initial stage of the disease when tho eruption
is very Slight and resembles other crnptivc diseases
the most favorable conditions necessary for the
inspection. Under these circumstances. If the Legs
laturc makes II mandatory on the Health officer To
inspect immigrant passengers and search for the con-
tagiOus diseases which they often have among them.
who will lie responsible for the Introduction Of such
diseases into the cities adjacent TO the port and tho
intcri,g population Of TIE country
Perhaps IL is not known that all vessels that do not
bring immigrant passengers are cleared at any time OF
the night either by request Of the consigncc
BY signal which all masters Of steamers and pilots
understand there being a night force. including a
deputy Health OFFICER always ready to respond 70 tho
request signal. The great majority Of immigrants
stop the port of cnbarkmcnt for greater or les
time. and not unfrcqucnty at lodging houses that arc
infected hy contagious diseases The immigrants that
infected there and sometimes far in the interior Of
Europe. arrive here In the beginning Of the develop
mcnt Of the disease when expert In detecting con
tacous diseases requires the test possible opportunity
to discover them. The immigrant often tries t. " pass
the doctor by appearing 10 De quite well and not mn
frequently he stimulated and aided In his EFFORT 10
deceive by officers Of the vessel Under the law a. II
WAS prc,ious 10 1--- the Health officer entitled
10 an extra fee for boarding and clearing vessel after
sunset. During the present administration Of the
Quarantine Department no vessel with STORAGE pas
.cnrcrs la. been Inspected between sunset and sunrise
and il /, believed that an inspection or clear
ancc Of vessel with stccIagc passengers mas
never hccn made in any Prey.y~' cdicaid fSr
the state for payment Of the emploNr' ana 'N ~,
81 The Quarantine c-ianii,hncit Nha' VIC i.n, ,.
because n would 'ndanger The public health y j. h.'
To- be expected that Dee VIII now ir ,'Nllr'" u, 10
not only viii an Transatlantic passenger steamers WIN
-iloon passenger ana NOR 'i'Nh- %, 1907 P, M