The San Francisco call., 1896-07-22

that any new cases would surely show
themselves in that time, as fourteen days
is the limit. 1t now appears that vaccina-
tion suppressed the disease for time, and
that it is now breaking out in spite of vac
cine.
DR.. Chalmers was interviewed late last
night, when he landed from the tug Gov
ernor Perkins. The doctor, smarting over
his discourteous reception on the island,
was not IN a placid frame of mind. His
visit to his brother officer may best be told
in his own language:
81 am not in a pleasant humor over nv
visit to DR.. Roseneau," he said, ''and rny
complete failure to satisfy myself in re-
gard to the sick Chinaman at the island.
To-day DIR. Blue informed me that there
was case or two at the island. and made
preparations to investigate. l immedi-
ately took the quarantine tug and steamed
over to Angel Island. In the boat 1
changed my clothing and took every pre-
caution, as / intended to examine the
cases, and never dreamed of the reception
l got there. After keeping me waiting
half an hour DR.. Roseneau, the sur
geon in charge of the station. met
me, and to my query answered
that he found Chinaman i'll with vario-
ioid. 1t was only a mild case, he said, and
he apparently did not attach any great
Importance to it. He was not disposed to
go into details, and rather resented the
visit of State official.
Il then asked If l might see the patient
and got a refusal straight from the shout
der. NO.! he said; you can't see the
u,
lacking in professional courtesy, but he
assumed that he was independent of the
State quarantine officer, which he is not.
The Federal Government must cooperate
with the State in the enforcement of
sanitary regulations, with priority ac-
corded to the medical officers of the State.
That is the law in the case.
so I was bowed off the island like an
intruder. Now 1 am as much in the dark
regarding that case of smallpox, varioloid,
measles, hives, or whatever it is, as you
are. Nor can understand for the life of
me why DR.. Roseneau refused to let
me see the case if he was sure of his
diagnosis, and 1 presume he is. When the
China arrived she had been sixteen days
from Yokohama, where she was fumi-
gated first by the japanese health author
tiles, then by her own surgeon. She was
all right at Honolulu and had clean
bill of health. 1 carefully examined
ali of her people here. and as no sickness
was aboard. and the fourteen days of in
lection has passed. she was permitted to
dock. The steerage passengers were sent
to Angel Island"
"But if this is case of varoloid how do
you explain it that the man was taken
down with a form OF smallpox two or
three days before the infection limit?n
the quarantine officer was asked.
'If the Chinaman has smallpox the
case is an exception to the fourteen-day
rule, which cannot be explained in medi-
cal practice, he answered. ga germ m ay
be longer-lived and exist over the limit.
but medical authority sticks to the four
teen days.
81 do not know what the Angel Island
officials and the Pacific Mail people intend
TO do regarding their passengers, but not
one of them will land in this City unless
am sure they have no contagious disease
among them. l have sent orders to the
Mail dock that they must not be brought
away from the quarantine station until
| know all danger is passed. l presume
the Millen Griffith will go after those pas
sengers tomorrow or next day, but if she
brings them here she will straightway
carry them back. If DR.. Roseneau has a
case OF smallpox he will keep it until it
is cured, but / cannot understand his ac-
tion tonight. 1t is inexplicable. 1 shall
see the Board of Health Immediately and
have this matter settled"
While the doctors are disagresing the
public are asking: SIS the fourteen day
limit to be depended upon. and how many
more varioloid cases are there in the City ?''