Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03
Cholera Germs in Merchandise.

To The Editor Of The Evening Star:
In your issue Of the LIST instant page 1, in
your very full account concerning the spread
Of the cholera. you give the opinion of the New
York superintendent OF immigration. l am i'm
pressed with the wisdom OF that opinion as to
how the germs of this fearful plague can be
conveyed. While all the accounts YOU give
from different officials in New York city and
harbor and ether places to what they are
doing 20 prevent the spread to our country of
this disease refer 20 examining passengers on
steamers and disinfecting the mails ane. bag
gGge of travellers the New York superintendent
OF immigration is the only one SO far to give the
warning in his belief that there is much dan
ger also from merchandise coming from Europe,
especially from infected ports"
1t were futile really. to be insisting on pro-
cession OF ships passengers and crew, single
file, before one or two harbor physicians, and
that a most hurried sinspection. and equally
futile to dlsinfect mails and immigrants old
beds and bedding and chests, so long rs mer-
chandise is allowed to be landed that has been
packed in an atmOspere where cholera germs
exist, to be opened and liberated in our cities
and especially in the little shops kept by for
eigners in the dirtiest sections.
In the almost annual visitations of yellow
fever TO the city of Charleston. s. c.. before she
at a heavy but well ordered expense adopted
her present magnificent tidal drainage. which
has given that city a condition Of heaithfulness
that is exceptional for several years the vista
tons OF that scourge were tracable to hogs
heads Of sugar packed in South American ports
where the yellow fever was at the time prevail
ing. and despite the strict quarantine regula-
tons ut Charleston this disease would Green in
1t was for some time that relatives of mine,
who we're physicians there, and had had large
experience with yellow fever. pressed The i'm
portance OF taking as great precautions against
cargoes from infected ports. against pass 7, =
gers and baggage. This time the result proved
the wisdom Of such precaution.
In 1858. during The war. Of course. and when
the port OF Charleston was closely blockaded
and 10 commerce by water had with the
outside world save very occasionally by a
blockade runner, and then only to bring in
arms and general munitions of war; tho city
was less than ever exposed to the yellow fever 8
being introduced by passengers OF merchan-
disc. But in 1868 small steamer which had
gotten out Of the harbor in the night returned
III about q month or six weeks and successfully
ran the blockade into port with q cargo Of war
material for the confederate government.
sailing from South American port. where, at
the time. the yellow fever vas by TO means
widely prevailing, but had rather broken out
OILY Il few weeks before. on her arrival in
Charleston she was quarantncd far away
as the Ashley river at the back OF the CITY would
allow. There was no case of yellow fever on
the steamer, as l remember. and no indication
Of danger about her. as far az could be discov-
cred by inspection of her officers and crew. One
OF the officers. however. few DAYS after the
arrival of this steamer in the harbor had sent
up to the city for lady friend there. for whom
he had brought it, box Of frui: packed in the
port from which they had sailed within a
week or ten days OF the opening OF that box
and the hberating OF its pent.up mir, q. rged
with yellow fever germs, this terrible fever
broke out in Charleston and carried eff quito q
number OF persons. among them some promi-
nent confederate officers Gen. Jamison. one OF
! them, who were not acclimated residents.
But these facts sufficient to show the
wisdom OF the caution about merchandise
from nfected ports" or even from European
ports almost anywhere if would guard our
country from the cholera plague through one
Of the principal sources or avenues OF danger.
For quite as much danger lies. think. in mer-
chandise as in Passengers, baggage and mail
matter. PROBATION.