New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-23
NATIONAL QUARANTINE is BEST
so EMINENT PHYSICIANS TELL TILE BOARD OF



Tie Board 81 Trade and Transportation Is daily
receiving replies TO its questions concerning Ma
tonal qrsTsntiue and ~ far thu greater number Of
writers favor the assumption BY the General Govern
ment ~ the regulation Of quarantine. Among the
letters received Yesterday one from Benjamin Lee
secretary Of the Pennsylvania state board Of Health.
II is in part rs follows:
The National quarantine In the hands N The Tinted
state. Marine Hospital service l. constantly ncreas
Ing in efficiency 4 administration and completeness oi
equipment. lis regulations Uniform f)r the entire
country The system OF notification through the
suar agents foreign ports enable 1t receive early
Intelligence Of dangerous conditions abroad and IL has
made use Of this Intelligence to good purpose during
the past year. State quarantine still remains IN =
very unsatisfactory condition. Some stations well
equipped. others poorly equipped and sin others are
entirely without equipment The regulations Mt each
station different from those Of every other station.
II j. II matt,r Of great difficulty 10 induce municipal
aud state LEGISLATURES u devote sufficient for the
proper equipment and maintenance q quarantine sta
lions. Many Of Tie stations are Situated that they
do not afford protection the entire country, leaving
locpholeS through which conlagion may enter.
In view Of the preceding statements. would re-
lterate here what ] have always maintained in any
public utterance upon the subject. that National
quarantine. literally supplied with every appliance
TINT modern science suggest would very greatly
lessen the existing mposs upon commerce; that the
restrictions on commerce and travel would b.
dminshed and periods of retention would be essencd
and In the matter OF fees the impostus would
probably he less serious than with The present dis.
jOincd system"
Charles a. l.. Reed. secretary OF the PanAmeflcan
Medical congress, writes. among other things: am
thoroughly impressed that spending more money
for quarantine service than any other country in the
world, that Interfering effectively with
orr commerce than any other county in the world and
that we are receiving les, protection In return than
any other country In the world. With National
quarantine made clear and definite with no possible.
misunderstanding 10 authority regulations could b..
Imposed that TCIld not amount 10 embargo upJn
commerce, and that would give US increased security
for the reason that IT would rc, in OF action
and In responsible Capitalization OF authority
Dr. :. II. Armstrong; EnglshspeaBing secretary Of
the section IN Marine Iyg.ege and Quarantine Of tl,
PanA American Medical Congress and chairman OF tl.
section in Public Health, OF the Ncw.York Academy of
Medicine IN a long letter. SAYS: \ National quar-
anime would BE- desirable and could lie easily attained
by Congress passing law slightly extending the
present authority OF the Marine Hospital Service I'm tc
matter, aud by prohibiting State. municlpaIty N
locality imposing any tax on commerce for quarantine
services. This could be done at Il very slight OK.
pcnse - the country There IS not "A rcpu able mcd
al society In The country that will ndorsc our presen,
local guarantees, Is there a medical society in
th.s city That will not condemn the existing New.
York quarantine system. bill has been INT reduced
In Congress- giving the Marine Hospital service tb.
dnes have referred TO- and as II Is the only National
medical service fitted 10 undertake the dntis II f. o
indOTsiDg