Evening journal., 1893-05-04
NEWSPAPER OPINION.


The most recent advices are that
cholera is still raging IN Russia, and that
10 exists In a slight degree in Hamburg
and in some parts Of France. The prob
abilities are, unless travel and immigra
tion from Russia are Immediately and
strenuously interdicted, and unless the
water.supply Of Hamburg is made
absolutely pure, that cholera will re-
appear In an epidemic form in Germany
and France this spring and summer
But these two contingencies are withia
human control. Travellers and imm
grants may be prevented from entering
Germany and purity of the water OF
Hamburg may be secured While cholera
has not been epidemic in any European
port during the past winter, sporadic"
or isolated cases have occurred con
stantly in some of them. There
are some persons-I will not say
authorltes-who assert that true Asiatic
cholera exists In Paris during the entire
year. Certainly IL was there last sum
mer Assuming these statements TO be
facts, we have good reason to fear that
this disease will reappear in New York
harbor during the summer of 1898. But
IL is quite possible for the city of New
York and the other parts Of this country
TO be so protected, and for those coming
here with the disease to be 80 isolated, as
to prevent an epidemic in the United
States. AS to the prevention of cholera,
much has been said for and against
strenuous maritime quarantine The
more ignorant the nation, the more in
tense and annoying the quarantine,
whether maritime or on the land frontier
During the epidemic Of 1885 In Italy and
the south of France, the Italians outdid
themselves In ridiculous and inefficient
and obnoxious rules, to prevent
perfectly well people from going
from one country TO the other. England
perhaps, lays less stress upon maritime
quarantine than any other nation, but
England is not a deprt for immigration
and filthy immigrants from all parts Of
the world do not come to her shores as
they do TO those Of the United States,
/ Those who visit England come only as
actual travellers or immigrants in tran
/ situ II the Russian immigrants who,
having passed a few days in Hamburg,
without any cleansing and other sanitary
means, were put upon ships which they
/ infected, had been allowed free access
to New York city last summer and
autumn, they certainly would In a few
days have so polluted water. sources
that cholera would have become epi.
demic We must, therefore, have quaran.
tine regulations In this country. But,
| II a ship CONES TO New York harbor, even
during the visitation Of cholera from
non infected port. and has passed
seven days without the occurrence Of
any case, il would be folly TO retain the
passengers on the ship They should be
allowed to land as soon as the facts
about their condition are ascertained
/ II cholera has actually broken out upon
a ship, the healthy passengers should
certainly not be retained upon IT, when
the port is reached They should be put
on shore in comfortable quarters. and
after a very short quarantine, il the dis
ease does not break out among them
they should be released. If quarantine
must be practiced, il must be a civilized
and humane quarantine, instead Of
Initiating the Turks and Italians. II
the quarantine regulations are honestly
maintained, with skill and scientific
knowledge, there need be no extension
Of the disease from our harbor Perhaps
10 will not even be brought there The
effect upon the Worlds Columbian Ex.
position by the appearance Of the cholera
la New York, would, in the nature Of
things, be extremely bad Europeans,
having read much of the scenes ia our
harbor last year, would be afraid Of
their repetition, even IL they did not fear
the disease itself The precautions
taken by the general government, are,
however, so careful and faithful, In the
placing Of medical officers Of our own
at every port Of departure, that it Is
hardly TO be feared that any such mum
bers Of infected ships can possibly arrive
in New York as came from Hamburg last
year.