The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-21
INSPECTION OF IMMIGRANTS
Committee of Mississippi Valley SAME
tary Council Memorialize Carlisle.
Acted Upon Dr. Tay br's Resolution Strong
Argument for National Con rol.

At the recent ational sanitary convention
in New York an organization known as the
Sanitary Council of the Mississippi Valley
was perfected, and Dr.. Taylor of Crawfords-
vile. was made second vice president Its
purpose was to have a care for the health
and sanitation of the valley States. DR..
Metcalf. secretary of the State Board of
Health. yesterday received q copy of me-
mortal to be addressed to the Secretary Of
the Treasury. in relation to epidemics of
contagious diseases. With the report came
the information that DR.. Metcalf has been
appointed one of the committee to prepare
the memorial. A copy of the draft pre-
pared By DR.. Ranch. of Chicago, was for
warded. with request for suggestions. etc..
if not approved In it present form. DR..
Metcalf found il met his approval in every
and submitted at the national conference
by DR.. Taylor. The memorial is as follows:
The Honorable the Secretary Of the Treasury.
Washington. ID. C.:
sir-The undersigned, committee OF the sani-
tary Council OF the Mississippi Valley, were APP
pointed to formulate the request embodied in
the following resolution adopted by the council
at Its recent meeting, April IL, In New YORK
city
Resolved. That tho Secretary of the Treasury
be formally requested by the Sanitary Council
States Marine Hospital Service TO establish sys-
tenn of immigrant inspection service with espe-
cial reference to Asiatc cholera, and substan-
TALLY on the lines OF the service maintained with
such beneficial results in 1892"
The immigrant inspection service Of 1882, to
which reference is above made, grew out OF the
demonstrated inability OF state and municipal
health boards and officials. acting independ-
emily, to suppress the epidemic 2f smallpox,
which began In 1880. through infected iminl-
1882, through successive arrivals or these in
feoted immigrants. who found their way into the
interior despite the enforcement of such precau-
ton as were possible by individual health au-
thorities in their respective territories.
In June. 1882. continuous sanitary surveil-
lance OF immigrant travel, from the port OF ar
rival TO the point of ultimate destination was be-
gun By the national government through the
agency OF the National Board OF Health. Such
surveillance consisted of successive Inspections
at points OF distribution between the sea-
board and points OF ultimate destination; of vac
cination Of all unprotected Of systematic OBJ
and isolation OF discovered smallpox or other
contagious diseases; of disinfection OF baggage,
This service was continued until December.
1882. and while. during the five months preced-
ing she inauguration of the service. there had
been twelve serious outbreaks OF smallpox in
Illinois, alone, caused by infected Immigrants,
during the seven months of the service. June 10
December, 1882. there was not a single out
break in that State due to immigrants. and only
two cases developed among the immigrants
themselves, after coming within the purview or
the service this, too, in face OF the heaviest
autumn immigration. with one exception, ever
known. During these seven months q total OF
115057 immigrants were Inspected In he West
ern inspection district alone. and the epidemic
I'm Illinois was practically suppressed, after O du-
ration of two and O half years, and after having
cost the state over four million dollars. Similar
results obtained throughout the whole area
covered by the service, from the seaboard
to the states beyond the Mississippi The
"a l.S4 q svxk..
OF our own people. who were secured by it from
imported contagion. and to whom confidence
was thereby restored.
or the immigrant who was protected through
IL from the effects OF mis- OWL neglect OF sanitary
precautions and to whom IL brought better care
and increased comfort in transit across tho
And OF the common carriers OF these immi-
grants, who were relieved from the vexatious
and costly interruption of travel and traffic
caused by the enforcement of local and State
Quarantines
The Sanitary Council of the Mississippi Valley
now urges that the Immigrant Inspection Serv-
ice be re-established, with especial reference TO
the exclusion of Asiatic cholera-and only less
making this request 1t is realized that the regu-
lations and the secretary of the Teasury gov
ernlng inspections at foreign ports and maritime
of protection from abroad and on the seaboard
than ever heretofore attained. 10 Is also rea ized
however. and as the result ofmany years prac-
teal experience that the sense OF responsibility
and consequent thOroughness or work by quar-
antine officers and inspectors bear direct rela-
ton 10 the distance between the station OF the
inspector or quarantine officer and the point of
ultimate destination OF the immigrant In
spectors on duty at Liverpool, or Havre, or
Bremen, or Hamburg, surgeons on board vessels
from these ports and quarantine officials at our
own ports lack the stimulus that an inspector in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois feels from the
knowledge that IL Asiatic cholera or small
pox. or typhus fever should break out
among the immigrants passing through his
hands, 1t could be readily traced home TO him
NOT alone from the towns and nrairips of his
own State but from the lumber camps and viii
lagos OF Wisconsin, the wheatfields or Iowa and
Minnesota. or from still more remote regions be-
yond the Mississippi and Missouri. Such stimu-
lus Is necessary in order to secure vigilance in
sary measures OF prevention.
The preventive work abroad and on our from
tiers Will. very probably, exclude o large ma
jOrity OF the infected persons and things-immi-
be admitted. But in the present contingency
this is not sufficient A single case of Asiatc
cholera in Chic go during the next six months
would in all probability and for obvious reasons.
respectfully urged that those TO whom has been
conided the authority and the means of protect
ing the public health should be satisfied with
nothing less than the fullest attainable protec-
ton.
The committee will promptly act upon any in
timaton from the Secretary that further argu-
ment or details desired. Meantime we are,
sir. very respectfully. your obeclent servants.
Members OF the committee OF the Sanitary COun-
ell OF the Mississippi Valley, appointed April
tary of the Treasury for the re establishment OF
the immigrant inspection service.
J. a. kAucH. Ch'rm'n, l. Z, sALoMoN, La.
r. TTHM"M ar kyi :. J. b RLEvE. WIS., Wis.
BENZ. LEE, Pa, WRIT JOHNSON, Mics,
+. W. REILLY, Illinois, Secretary.