, 1890-12-04
QUARANTINE INSPECTION,
How Incoming vessels Arc Examined /
the Health omcers.

How Incoming vessels Are Examined /
the Health omcers.
Experiences in years past with dan
gerous plaques which were, brought
from foreign shores to the very thres-
hold of this city have established the
efficacy of the quarantine stations, yet
few outside of tourists and shipping
circles are at all familiar with the insti-
tuition.
The importation of contagious dis
eases is no myth. The cholera epidemic
which spread death in every direction
n generation ago was brought over by
immigrants, and yellow fever also slip
ped into this country several times
through lack Of sanitary surveillance.
The arrival years ago Of the crowded
emigrant ship Aleshia from an Italian
port, with the cholera on board, served
to demonstrate the use Of the quaran-
tine stations,
Every vessel that enters the port Of
New York Is compelled TO drop anchor
OF quarantine for examination by the
health officer. In the case of coastwise
vessels the examination is merely per
f%unctory, but the rule is rigidly applied
10 foreign vessels As sooi. rs the anchor
is dropped the health officer, or one Of
his assistants, who are all licensed ply
s~icianS, boards her in a small rowboat.
The passengers are usually ranged
along the decks, and the boarding Off
Ger makes a eursory examination. When
the ships doctor Is reached he is cate
chised about as follows.
WAS there any sickness ut the port
while you We're lying there and have
you any bill Of heulth} How many
passengers, officers and crew have you
ON board, and is every person on board
in good health at this moment; =
Should = master of n vessel fail TO
answer all Of these questions truthfully
he is liable to "a heavy fine or imprison-
ment or both The boarding officer
then either retires or makes a msrc
rigid examination. though the latter
step is unusual unless the answers are
unsatisfactory
II any n OH board is suffering from
any contagious disease lac Is immedi.
ately transferred TO the hospital on
DiI's island and the ship is ordered to
anchor at n designated point in the
lower bay not less than two miles from
the nearest shore.
She is compelled to remain there until
thoroughly fumigatcd and all danger Of
infection is over. In some eases, like
that Of the cholera ship referred to, all
the passengers are transferred To the
hospital islands, where their effects nre
fumigated and they are detained for
many weeks,
There are hospitals on each Of these
islands for the accommodation Of sick
and infected persons and also ware
houses for storing and fumigating in,
fected cargoes II a vessel is detained
at quarantine by reason OF one or two
cases of sickness on board and the
danger OF the Infection spreading among
the passengers is not considered great,
only the sick arc taken of, although
the rest OF the passengers are com
PEELED 10 remain on tn" ship until she
is released from quarantine.
A captain has the alternative, before
being ordered to quarantine, to put
back to sea. In that case his vessels
bill of health must mention the circum
stance OF detention, the condition of
the vessel upon returning to sea, and
he must give satisfactory assurance to
the health officer Of the port that the
sick passengers will be properly cared
for. There are two quarantine stations
at this port
The upper station Is on Staten island
and the lower one embraces the hos
pital islands. The upper station is the
boarding station for all vessels not sus-
of having on board infections
Or contagious diseases. The diseases
which quarantine is specially
directed are cholera, smallpox, typhus
or ship fever and yellow fever. New
York Telegram.