The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-16

would never have occurred had not the
ships surgeons and the health officers doc
tors failed to properly inspect vessels carry
ing refugees from feyer-stricken sections OF
Southern Russia.
The Amsterdam belongs to the Neither
lands-American line, which has the reputa-
ton of being careful in passing its immi-
grants. She reached here Friday with 800
Storage passengers, among whom were
three Syrians-Jamna Chadad, her sister
and the latter's husband. Health Officer
Jenkins assistants, Drs. Skinner aud Tai
madge, stood on deck and the immigrants
were paraded before them in single file.
The doctors saw nothing amiss with Mrs.
Chadad and the ship got a clean bill Of
health. The steamer John Moore took the
Immigrants in a barge to Ellis Island about
6 O'clock in the evening.
At Ellis Island DR.. Wheeler had stationed
his assistants, H. D. Gedding and A. B.
Neuborn, in passageway in the main
building. The immigrants were kept six
feet apart, and as they marched by were
carefully scrutinized. Mrs. ChadAd wore a
shawl which concealed her hands. Her
sunken nose attracted the practiced eye Of
DR.. Wheeler after she had passed by some
of the doctors in the line.
The doctor ordered her to be brought back
and kept apart from the other immigrants
until he had time to give her closer exami-
symptoms as those Of leprosy.
FINGERS AND TOES DROP OFF.
There was not whole finger on her
hands. The tips had dropped off at the
first knuckle OF every finger Her toes were
in like condition, and ulcers were found
on different portions of her body. She was
placed in a small room on the first floor,
where she remained until removed to the
Amsterdam yesterday at noon to be re-
turned to Rotterdam.
Her sister was astonished at being told
that Mrs. Chadad was a leper She said
that she had slept with her and eaten from
the same dishes with her, yet had not con-
tracted the disease. The doctors examined
her and her husband, but both we're appar-
entity in sound health, though their bodies
were filthy.
Dr. Wheeler said that more rigid In
spection should be made by the steamship
lines of the immigrants applying for pas
sage in foreign ports. The North German
Lloyd line, he said, hired the best physi-
clans to examine its Storage passengers and
its vessels rarely brought diseased immi-
grants.
That Mrs. Chadad escaped detection at
the hands of the health officers at quaran-
tine, DR.. Wheeler said, was not aston .shing,
as they had not the facilities that the physi-
clans at Ellis Island enjoy. Captains were
always anxious to get their ships away
from quarantine, and the inspection was
generally done hurriedly.
HURRIED INSPECTIONS.
Lepers always strive to conceal their
disease, DIR. Wheeler added. He supposed
that Mrs. Chadad had kept her hands under
her cloak when she passed the health officers.
One could not tell from merely looking at
her face that she had the disease, but it
should have been detected when she boarded
the ship at Rotterdam.
THE beat physicians" said Dr. Wheeler,
'hold that leprosy is not contagious. II it
is contagious it is probably but slightly So
1t is not half as contagious as consumption.
Just because it is an old biblical disease
every body seems to be in mortal dread of it.
"There have been cases where sound men
have married lepers just to see whether they
would catch the disease, and yet they did
not. Men who have wanted to commit
suicide have married lepers without cen
tracing the disease"
The fact that a person was able to ''do
the walk around act" before the health Off
GERS, DIR. Wheeler said, was generally
taken as an indication that such an immi-
grant was in good health. II Mrs. Chadad
had not been SO filthy she might have es-
capped detection by hiding her hands under
her cloak even when his men inspected her
in the line.
Mrs. Chadad is the first leper brought to
this port by q steamer in many years