The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-19
AN INTERNATIONAL QUESTION.
SOME IDEAS ON THE QUARANTINE
AND YELLOW FEVER SITUATION.

yellow Fever Might BE Eradicated
From the Spanish Colonies Just as
IL Was From the English and DAN
fsh POssessiOns-Thfs Would Re
Iieve the Inconvenience TO Com
meree TO a Great Extent so Far as
Quarantine Regulations Are Con-
cerned.
The apparently serious phase which the
quarantine question has assumed 50 far
as Savannah, as well as other southern
ports. is concerned may perhaps be pro-
ductive of a good deal Of discussion in
the near future.
The shipping men want some reIaxa-
tion in the quarantine regulations with
regard to the detention of vessels from
suspected ports, and which haYe first
gone to other American ports. The city
sanitary board has so far refused TO re-
lax, and there are two sides to the ques-
ton. One makes the claim that the
stringent rules are injuring commerce,
and the other that a sure safeguard and
protection Of the health of the commu-
nifty is far more important than any small
advantage that might accrue to the com
meree Of the port by the removal of these
safeguards
These same regulations have been in
force for the last eight years, and the
question is asked why have not the shin
ping men entered their objections to them
before this time. The claim IS made
that they are working altogether from a
selnsh standpoint, as they can make
more money out Of a tramp steamer that
brings over cargo to one of the South
american ports or to the West Indies
than they can from a vessel which is as
in hal
II Is claimed that those ports which
relax their quarantine regulations run a
great risk, and that they will get caught
DR.. W. F. Drummer, the health officer.
has some ideas on the yellow fever and
quarantine subject which are worthy of
consideration. The Inconvenience to ship
ping interests Is a necessary one in most
instances, and until ships can come from
ports which have no contagiOn, and which
are not suspected, he asserts, there should
be no relaxation of the regulations.
He thinks the, yellow fever question
Should be made an international one, as
there are several countries whose COM
merce il effects to a greater or less ex-
tent. Especially should IL be taken up
between this country and Spain in the
ports of whose colonies in the West In
dies and ether places it exists to "A more
OF less extent. Yellow fever, he SAYS is
not native to Havana. Cienfugas and
other ports similarly situated and by
the proper methods and sanitary meas
ures II could be stamped out, and by prop
or regulations kept out.
This has been done in the case of the
Danish and English colonies in the West
Indies and South America, and vessels
from the ports of those colonies never
meet with the same difficulties that are
presented to those coming from Spanish
ports.
In the same manner Spain could stamp
il out of the ports in her colonies and
the trouble would be done away with.
Spain, however, does not lose very much
by the presence of yellow fever I'm her
colonies, and 1t would no doubt cost a
great deal Of money to eradicate the evil
which expense that country might not
care to incur. Some international ar
rangement by which this eradication of the
disease could be effected, however would
to a great extent remove the ineonve-
niences which commerce suffers, and
would be no reason for requests to relax
quarantine regulations.
1t may not be very long before there
is a discussion of this question among
the shipping interests and the sanitary
authorities of the south with a view to
aiding commerce by this means The
northern sanitary authorities do not seem
inclined to enter upon a discussion of it.
as they are more busily engaged in work
ing on evils in the shape Of disease which
strike them more at home.