The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-02
NO QUARANTINE LAWS.
The City Is Unprotected In Case Of
an Emergency.
THE CITY BOARD OF HEALTH.
The Need Of Some Law Evident what
Has Been Done In Past-whers Quar-
antine Could BE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Provisions There Are for Patients.

High up on the hill above Fields Point
stands the pest house, cold and bleak IL
winter, but sun beaten in summer, and
comfortless looking at all times.
Such Is the only visible evidence In
Providence that the city is protected
from the introduction of disease by
water-the only proof that even dor
mant thought Of quarantine exists.
Just at this time, however. with tho
dread OF Infectious anu contagious d is
ease, quarantine is a subject that is not
only Interesting but important. Tue
government has passed n quarantine law
aud both Boston and New York have
quarantine laws and force OF quaren-
tine officers.
Providence has no quarantine laws ex-
cept such as the health officers may
adopt as temporary expedients. The
is co A9ws OF Paa, uSa I'ss
consideration OF low rental includes
among his duties of catering TO public
appetite that Of caring also for the public
health.
Last year, when the cholera was rag
Ing abroad. the lard of Aldermen met
as board OF health, aud fixed the quar-.
antine limits at Nayatt Point. But there
the matter ended. The Common Coun-
Gil, Tor reasons best known to itself,
tailed TO make any appropriation to carry
laws into effect, or to provide an officer
1t is doubtful. indeed, IL anything
could be done uuder such regulations as
were passed. There is no state uuaran-
tine and all that the board of health can
do is TO make regulations for the city, IL
has no control or Jurisdiction over any
portion OF the bay lying outside OF the
city.
DR.. Swarts explaine this morning that
quarantine h.. f..I
and made operative If necessity should
arise. There Is no need now for an active
oilcer with the customary red flag. to
stand at the entrance to the city's narbor
anu stop, each vessel as it comes
up the hay. The approach of any
vessel from foreign ports is
always known by custom house Off
claIs long before she puts I'm appearance,
and whenever "a vessel passes South Ferry
"A telephone message in orms the toS
boat office OF the fact. Communication
Is at once had with the city health Off.
GERS and the proper official starts down
the bay TO meet the boat in the tug that is
TO do the towing.
Ii clean bill Of health Is shown and no
sickness has occurred on the voyage the
ship sails up. Otherwise the pest house
Is open TO receive the patients or sus-
poets. The house, bv the way, is always
open and is fitted with fifteen beds, is
warmed by steam heat aud is con-
stantly kept in order by competent at
tenddnt.
nevertheless there is great danger
from disease, particularly because Of the
absence OF state quara ntine laws and the
TACT that the vessel could easily get TO
the city limits without moles cation, even
IL 1T were infected with disease. One great
danger this summer VIII lie in the fact
that the quarantine laws OF New York
aud Boston may be SO rigidly enforced
as To cause an overflow of vessels
TO seek entry at this point. and then
there Is no means of hindering the dis.
eased people from leaving the vessel by
row boat and landing anywhere along
the shores OF the bay without the knowl-
edge, let or nindrance OF any one More.
over should disease get foothold in
New York there would be great danger
of its being brought here in coal tar Ies
Ihe two recent cases of smallpox were
brought in this way. though great care
prevented the spread of the disease.
The health officers are unanimously of
the opinion that some stringent laws
should be enacted at once botn by the
city and state and that the whole re-
sponsibility should not be left TO them OF
meeting the emergency should it arise
IL may be too late TO effec ually prevent
the spread Of disease should it once reach
the harbOr limits.