The morning call., 1892-09-15
STATE QUARANTINE
Recommendations by the State Board of
health as to Cholera.

Recommendations by the State Board of
Health as to Cholera.
From the August report of the State
Board Of Health it appears that the death
rate was unusually low. there being but
1014 out of a population of SIC, 1893, or a
ratio of 124 for every 1000 Inhabitants
great part of the report is devoted to
the protection Of the State against cholera,
and much is printed about land quarantine.
The following are extracts from the report
II is the intention Of the State board as soon
as the emergency arises, TO establish refuge sta
tOns at the points of entry of the railroads into
the Stale, aud TO exhaust every resource author.
lied by the laws OF the State to prevent cholera
from passing our borders.
The only means 10 be employed 10 keep IL out
OF The State when 1t has once Invaded the conti-
nent Is by an absolute quarantine on sea and
land. With The assistance OF the Government
II Is not so difhcult TO do this at our ports; but
II Is different matter TO so effectualy bar the
way on tile State borders that not even an in
ieeied dog may cross the line, nor crow bring
the Infection across from an infected carrlon on
the other side. Absolute land quarantine must
not be mistaken Tor practical quarantine.
- III IL De practicable to stop all trains on the
oregon, the Central Pacific at Truckee. the At
lantic ana Pacific at Needles and the Southern
racine al Yuma, and compel every man, woman
and chlid,wlth baggage and freight, TO be washed
and lumlgated. the mall and express matter 10
be eifectuay dsinfected and a change OF cars
made, without any escaping the ordeal, the
quarantine might be called effeetual; but 1t
would De Tar from absolute, Tor me could
scarcely be taken to prevent passenger from
getting of train before reaching The quarantine
station ana riding or walking around 1t into the
Stale. The enthusiasts VIII say, place 4 Gordon
militalre not only around The passengers detained
AT refuge station but along tbs entire State
border. from the ocean on the north along the
Oregon border. along the crest Of the Sierras,
the Nevada border, along tho Colorado River
along the Arizona border, then along the Mexi-
can line on the south TO the ocean, below San
sq fna fata
was capable Of placing sentinels along Its lines
so that no loophole could be found to let in the
soldier. in the United States service, but never
theless, 1t would prove that it could be done
Other States might want the same soldiers to
patrol their State lines but IN some way not yet
explained California viii be supposed to have
obtalned prior claim 10 them.
This is picture of absolute land quarantine.
Nothing can be more so than TO prohibit persons
and effects OF all kinds whatsoever fiom passing
across our State lines. To prevent them from
crossing II Is necessary TO place sufficient
guard along the whole line. Before the days OF
railroads people found way into California, and
people have not yet forgotten how 10 travel
without locomotive.
IL the people OF California allow themselves to
be lulled into feeling Of inactive security
through confidence in the efficacy and suffi-
cheney OF AN Interstate land quarantine, main
tained III the most rigorous manner sanctioned
by the police power OF the State and enforced by
all the means at her disposal, they will commit a
most serious error.
DuCu Quhi dubiuo VIII certainly De mlue anu
maintained With SternDes8 thar would appal
the impractical idealIst by its infexibility, but
even tile domestic animals may carry the germs
across the line, and aspig may root in an In
fected garbage pile and unconsciously thwart
the theory of the believer in the pFactcability OF
an absolute land quarantine, by carrying II
across the line.
Look TO your local health boards and back
them In their efforts 10 place your town In cou.
diton TO resist the Invader by deprivlng him OF
subsistence. Starve the cholera. 1t cannot
exist aud propagate without some foim OF filth
TO breed In. Destroy the filth, allow none to ac-
cumulatc, drink boiled water and eat cooked
food and your chances Of taking cholera will be
so small IL need not be taken into account. Be-
come a disciple OF land quarantine suificency
and retain your accustomed domestic and mum.
cipal nuisances, and you will furnish the de-
stroyer harvest that VIII fatten the earth with
molcering human flesh. Ii Is for the people 10
choose whose ADVICE they will follow In this
emergency.
Pay no heed. then, to those emotional persons
who theorize on the practicability of absolute
land quarantine, but become disciple aud fol-
lower OF cleanliness and purity. The State
board has authorized the publication OF clrcu.
lar on Cholera; Its Restriction aud Preven.
tOn." fol general distribution. 1t is uesIgned
both for the medical profession ana the people