The morning call., 1892-08-28
THE CHOLERA.

Thirty deaths from cholera in two days
At Havre, foTty-One deaths in one day at
Hamburg, twenty-eight deaths In day at
Altoona, TWO deaths al GTayesend. in Eng
land, a continuing mortality i1 Paris
twenty-foBr deaths in day al ST. Peters
burg and 2977 deaths in twenty-fcur hours
In all Russia-such are the last reports Of
tie ravages Of the pestilence iu a portion Of
Europe with which Atlantic seaports are Ia
daily communication. Il is only slightly
Teassunng to hear that the quarantine
authorities are on the alert; that every yes
sci arriving from infected ports is detained
at quarantine and fumigated; that the
clothing Of passengers lie laundried and that
persons who are sick are Immediately trans
ferred to cholera hospitals. Such precau-
tions are excellent; but will they keep out
the disease? President Mccormick of the
conference Of international health boards
confesses that there are weak spots In our
line Of defense. One of the weak spots is
Montreal, from which a weekly line of
steamers run 10 Hamburg. Il appears that
no improvement has been made in the
quarantine system Of the River St. Law
renee and that it is what it was fifty years
ago. On little island thrty-fve miles from
Quebec there is a quarantine hospital.
There is no wharf on the island. If the
weather permits the quarantine hospital
doctor boards vessels as they pass, and if
they contain cholera patients they are car
ried ashore in small boats and the vessels
proceed On their voyage to Montreal. This.
OF course, is inviting the epidemic,
Whether the best possible system Of quar-
antine can avail to exclude disease which
is carried through the air by impalpable
AID invisible germs is question upon
wLich sanitarians are not agreed, but there
can be no question OF the fact that In the
past cholera has come to this country in the
company of immigrants. 1t is not unreas-
enable to assume that il the immigrants
had not come the cholera would not have
made its appearance. Why not adopt the
suggestion of the Hin ois Board Of Health.
and. instead Of wasting time with measures
OF uncertain merit, barricade against the
disease by closing the door against immigra-
tion until the Iestilence has ceased to rage
10 Europe?
The power of the Government at Wash
ingtnn to place an embargo on European
Immigration is unquestionabie. Every conI-
munity possesses the right of shutting its
door in the face OF messengers Of death.
In yellow fever epidemics at the South State
barricades against State. city against city,
and athe barricade is defended. Vessels
from infected ports are constantly excluded
from countries which are healthy A Ham,
burg steamer was last week refused per-
mission to make landing in England, and
on more than one occasion vessels from
West India islands, where the yellow fever
prevailed, have been sent to sea from New
York without even being allowed TO cast
anchor. There is ample precedent for the
issue Of an embargo prohibiting the land
ing at any American port Of single Euro
pean immigrant, or, iD case the disease is
attracted to Montreal by an inefficient sYs-
TEN Of quarantine. of a single immigrant
from Canada. Such a measure might not
perhaps be certain to keep out the cholera.
bat 1t would certainly minimize the danger
of its coming, and would give the plan OF
isolation full and fair trial.
European powers could not urge that an