The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-09-23
SANITARY CONFERENCES

SANITARY CONFERENCE,
A sanitary conference was held at
the Hotel Anderson, Pittsburg, on the
morning of Sunday last Three States.
Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
We're represented by the Secretaries of
their State Boards of Health. The
principal part of the morning was Civ
ell to discussion of the proper pro-
vision to be made by the city of Pitts
burg, in case of an epidemic of cholera.
The local authorities, represented at the
conference, favored the establishment
of floating hospital on the Ohio river.
70 this proposition DIR. Baker, of West
Virginia, and DR.. Probst, of Ohio, of
fered objections saying that as the
Ohio is the water supply for the bor-
derlng States such a hospital would be
source of very great danger to people
living below Pittsburg. and even if re-
fuse should be so carefully disinfected
as to eliminate the danger, the people
could not be led to believe themselves
free from exposure as long as the hos
pital existed. The proposal was aban-
doned and land hospital favored.
Reports were presented by Drs. Lee,,
Probst and Baker, showing what meas
ures had already been taken in their
respective States.
The conference then took up the
main topic which it had been called to
discuss, namely railroad quarantine.
The plan adopted by the West Virginia
Board was explained and on motion of
DR.. Baker the following resolution was
adopted
That the Secretary, Dir. Probst, be
instructed to communicate with the
Secretary of the Treasury, urging him
to have each immigrant provided with
certificate of his inspection made by
the Marine Hospital service, such GER
tiicate to be recognized by the State
Boards of Health represented at this
conference.
The resolution, Dr. Baker said. was
not meant to convey the idea that thev
believed the National authorities in any
manner lax in the requirements of the
occasion, but the cooperation of the
Government officials with the State
authorities would be an assurance to
the people that every precaution to
prevent the cholera from coming here
was being rigidly looked after DR..
Probst was instructed to suggest to
the Secretary of the Treasury the fol-
lowing information required as being
essential to the matter by the State
Boards: The name and sex of the i'm
migrant; the port of departure and en-
try; name of the vessel; duration of
detention under observation after ex-
posure to cholera; the destination and
the name of the inspector.
DR.. Lee offered this resolution, which
was adopted:
That the conference suggest to the
several boards here represented the
expediency of adopting an order re-
curing every immigrant to be furnish
ed with a certificate from the Bureau
of immigration or the United States
Hospital service at his or her point of
debarkatlon, and forbidding steam
boat or railroad companies to trans
port immigrants into or through their
respective States not provided with
such certificate. And further that
whenever any board shall consider 1t
necessary to establish an inspection
station at the State line, the inspector
shall be provided with punch by
which such certificate can be counter
signed if he deems the holder free
from contagion.