Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-04
FEDERAL MARITIME QUARANTINE.

t looked as if in the harbor of New
York there might be clashing of ma
,ional and state authority in the quar-
of cholera in that port. The
good sense that prevailed on both sides
tided over the friction satisfac-
torily in that instance, but
we have no assurance that
a state of sffairs may not occur at any
moment in New York or other harbors
that will result in conflict between the
federal and state officers, which may re-
suit i'm letting infectious disease into the
country. The people are deeply inter
estpd in the settlement of this matter OF
lin ee that will sfford them the most GER
tam and complete security.
At late annual sessions OF the na-
tionei board of health this subject has
been widely and lesrnedly discussed.
AT the session which met in Cincinnati,
in 1888, the subject came up with great
force, as cholera had been brought into
New York harbor from Europe the year
before. 1t is to be remarked, also, that
yellow fever, which made tremendous
ravages that year in the south, espe-
cially in Florida. was brought into the
by vessels that had come from
the West Indies, where it was raging. The
discussion on infectious alien diseases
took very wide range at that session,
and the general attitude OF the members
of the board on the subject of effective
protection was that the federal govern
ment should have undisputed control OF
maritime quarantine, whilst the states
could exercise their quarantine powers
in the interior.
This would seem to us sensible Eolu-
ton of the question. The unity of ac-
ton Of the federal authorities in treating
imported infection at all the ports would
insure the adoption OF the best and most
recognized methods of treatment of the
diseases, and the uniformity OF thequar-
antine laws operating upon all the ports
alike would insure the minimum OF
possibility of exposed persons carrying
the germs of the disease amongst the
body OF the people. The state boards
relieved of responsibility at tbs
porte, could devote. their undi
vided attention to guarding the
state lines against the entrance of con.
tagions. TIE protection which would
thus be afforded the public would leave
the question of state pride. in asserting
its right to control quarantine matters
aC the ports as well as in the interior
without the slightest interest to the
people. What they want is the creates,
substantial security from infection that
can be obtained, without regard to the
political theories that may be injected
into the controversy.
Our people are confron ed with greater
dangers now than ever before. The
lowest classes of Europe are being
dumped upon this country by number
less thousands, and the craze to come
to America is spreading. We have
managed to check the Chinese immi-
grafton, but Asia, with her cholera and
other diseases has ample access to our
shores. Leprosy, disease unknown
to this country forty years ago, is now
domiciled on our soil. So far but few
whites have been it's victims; but it has
started to infect our race, and there is
no telling where it may stop. An ex-
perienced physician told US yes
terday that but few people are
aware of the great number of
cases of leprosy that are now in the
United States. 1t has only a step to
take to get out Of the Chinese quarters
of our great cities and entrench itself
among the whites. Every year it makes
gains and unless it be grappled with
firmly at once it will have become so
widespread that leprosy lazarettos will
be as common in the United States as
they are in the East. 1t must not be
forgotten that leprosy became a very
common affiiction in Europe after the
cruzaders had returned from the Holy
Land, and that it took three centuries
to exterminate the disease in Great
Britain.
There is not single infectious and
deadly disc e that finds it's way into
this country which is indigenous, if we
may use the term, to it. Cholera comes
to us from Asia, yellow fever from the
Antilles, smallpox came originally
from Europe, diphtheria came from over
the sea and leprosy is now indigenous to
Asia and the Polynesias. In order to
successfully meet and drive back infec-
tious importations, we must have one
quarantine authority and one system to
meet them at our doors. The federal
can afford us this protection,
whilst the differential authorities of the
states over maritime quarantine will not
afford us the indispensable security that
we are entitled to, and which the nature
of the service demands.