The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-07
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE
HOSPITAL SERVICE, WASHINGTON.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE
hospital SERVICE, WASHINGTON.
This federal quarantine service is but
imperfectly understood and appreciated
throughout the country, and considera-
BILE irritation has resulted in consequence
between 1t and certain local quarantine
boards. The federal quarantine and
marine hospital service was founded by
law as far back as 179S and 1899, and have
been, from time to time, gradually ex-
tended since. The original marine hos
pital service was designed for the care
OF sick and disabled seamen at points re-
mote from their homes. In 1871 II was
reorganized and placed on its present
footing as q bureau of the treasury de-
partment. The old quarantine statute
of 1893 provided for the observance of
state health regulations by federal off,
GERS, and gave the President OF the
United States power to purchase or erect
quarantine warehouses and to remove
certain branches of the government to
places of safety during epidemics OF con-
tagious diseases. BY the law OF 1878, to
prevent the introduction OF contagious
or infectious diseases, vessels arriving
from infected foreign ports are to be
kept out, United States consuls are re-
quired to report the state of health at
such ports, and to notify the marine hos
pital service OF the departure OF infected
vessels, while officers otstate quarantines
are empowered TO act in emergencies as
officers Of the national quarantine.
In this way the marine hospital service
and the federal quarantine were brought
together. A national board Of health
was created in 1879, with limited duties
and prerogatives, but by the refusal Of
Congress subsequently to provide for its
expenses IL ceased to have an active exist
ence. BY the act of 1883 eight federal
quarantine stations were esta blished and
placed under the control OF the marine
hospital service. All of them are now in
active operation. The stations them
selves and the ramified service connected
with them form the only federal safe
guards which the United States govern
ment has at its command against foreign
infection at this time. The headquarters
of the service are in Washington in what
is known as the "Butler building" an
imposing granite structure recently pur-
chased by the government, directly fac
ing the Capitol on the south. Here is
the nerve center OF the entire federal
quarantine and marine hospital service.
All ORDERS reBhrulng tus movements OF
quarantine vessels and the separations Of
the several stations emanate from this
building, and here the whole intricate
machinery of the system is supervised
and directed.
OF the eight tfederalquarantines stations
already established one is located at Cape
Charles, with hospital at Fisherman's
island, Va; another is located at the Del
aware break water, with hospital at Lewis,
Del. ; another, the South Atlantic quaran-
tine, 10 on Sapelo sound, with hospital at
Blackbesrd's island, Ga; still another,
the Key West quarantine, with hospital
attachment, 10 on Dry Tortugss island,
Fla, occupying old Fort Jefferson; the
fifth, called the Gulf quarantine, is on the
Chandelier island, La. the sixth is the
San Francisco quarantine, the finest in
the wide world, with hospital at Angel
island, Cal. the seventh is at San Diego,
Cal, and the eighth and last one is at
Port Townsend. Wash.