The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-04
RUN WILL HELP.
City Fathers Consult as to How to
Stop Cholera.
HOUSE ISLAND THE BEST PLACE
FOR SMOKING OUT MICROBES.

~'~~SSA go N~->~
Plan Before the City Government, and
1t Is Debated-An Order Passed to Use
$500 for the Station and Take 1t from
the Agency Fund-Other City Business
The cholera was the principal subject
before the City Government last evening,
the two boards meeting in joint session
to hear the recommendations of Drs. A.
K. P. Meserve, Henry P. Merrill and
Charles D. Smith, and Mr.. E. c. Jordan
of the State Board of Health.
DIR. Meserve spoke first. He said that
all would grant that a quarantine station
is needed. Portland is the only port of
any size without one. This winter we
shall have two or three lines of steamers
coming here, bringing more or less i'm
migrants. If we have no system of dis
injecting the worst class of immigrants
are likely to flock here.
DR.. Meserve then related how, with
considerable difficulty, the board had
procured permission from the United
States government to use House islaud.
The conditions of such use would be
that the fort shall not be occupied Or
interfered with, that there shall be no
destruction of government property,
that no buildings placed there shall be
removed except by written consent of
the government that this permission
shall be revocable at will of the govern
ment, whereupon the premises shall be
vacated in three weeks, and that on va
eating the Board of Health shall put the
island in sanitary condition satisfacto-
ny to a government inspector.
DR.. Meserve next detailed the plan for
the erection of the disinfecting station,
which would be intended for the disin-
lection of clothing by steam and sulphur
smoke and the washing of suspected inn
migrants. The whole cost was estimated
at $500.
DIR. Merrill
was next called on and said he felt that
this station was necessity to the port
of Portland if we want to keep ourselves
free from the disease. The cholera scare
will soon subside, and then we shall have
large immigration. The researches of
physicians in Egypt and India show that
the germs of cholera may be kept in
clothing many months. There will be
especial danger from the Russian Jews,
who, arriving here destitute, are likely
to be distributed through the city among
their charitable fellow countrymen. DR..
Meserve had already cited the case of
thirty so distributed last winter. DR..
Merrill said that one case of cholera in
Portland would drive away more trade
from Portland than many disinfecting
stations would amount to.
DR.. Charles ID. Smith
said that the State Board of Health,
which he represented fully concurred in
these plans. While the cholera scare
had largely subsidized, the sanitary au-
thorities had not yet ceased to be anx-
ious. 1t is true that cholera, coming to
our shores this year just as the frosts are
coming, has been stopped; but all au-
thor1ties agree that the greatest danger
will come next year. Next March and
April the tide of immigration will set
in, and then will be our danger.
Mr.. E. C. Jordan, of the State Board
of Health, complimented DR.. Meserve's
plan, and heartily concurred. AS to the
expense, the citizens would never forgive
the city government should a case of
cholera find us unprepared.
Mayor Ingraham asked if the state
could be relied on to assist the city.
Mr.. Jordan said the matter had been
brought to the attention of the governor
and council, who had decided that they
had no funds that could be used for such
a purpose except in cases where local au-
thorities could not take any measures, as
for instance, in very small towns or plan
tations.
Mr.. Randall asked if the Board of
Health had decided that House Island
was the best place. DR.. Meseove re-
piled that the International Quaran-
tine Commission, the State Board of
Health and the city board of
health had viewed the ground carefully
and had concluded that House Island
was the only place.
Councilman Simpson asked if the own
ers of House Island had been consulted.
DR.. Meserve said they had not been
and he thought it would not be necessa-
nv to consult them, as no harm could
come to their property. He should not
object to having disinfecting station
within a third of a mile of his own
house.
Alderman Guptill asked if a careful
inspection might not take the place OF SO
expensive a station. In case case OF
cholera should be found, the steamer
could be quarantined until the city
should be ready to deal with it.
Dr. Meserve said he thought the case
of the Normannia fully answered Mr..
Guptill.
Councilman Knowles said the doctors
had stated that the cholera germs would
live in clothing for three years. Ii that
was so was there not constant danger
from the rags of Japan and Egypt, which
were constantly arriving at this port for
Cumberland Mills?
DR.. Meserve said he thought not.
Heat and dryness are the great destroy
ers of the cholera microbes, and the
method of packing rags in Japan is such
that the germs would not be likely to
survive. By steaming the holds of the