The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-21

COTnnlerce-an0 /
suggest that the entire apparatus be plac-
ed on vessel, 60 be built for the pur-
pose, that can be brought alongside of
snip by a tug, or brought up to the city,
II at any time II should be needed here.
Distinction could then be done either at
the wharf or in the stream, without delay.
The experience of the past twelve years
at New Orleans" said DR.. LIE Hardy, has
tuily demonstrated that the detention OF
vessels three days is all that Is needed
there. That port is much nearer than
we are to cities where yellow fever re-
ours every year, and is in daily COM
mupication with them, and at New \ DIRK,
ofhcer A. A. Doty, than whom there Is
none more careful energetic and practi-
cal. says that the detention is only one
and half days where vessels have been
on passage as long as three and one-half
days. But these ports are not under the
paternal influence of the marine service
quarantine bureau: they have made use
of appliances that are best suited to their
appliances and business. These methods
nave proved success with them. and they
can be made successful here also"
THE detention of vessels at quarantine
beyond the time of incubation of the dis
ease for which they are held" said DIR.
LeHardy, 'is unnecessary. In fact it is
dangerous to require clean vessel to re-
main among or near others that are sup
mend that vessels be not detained longer
than three days al quarantine-if disinfect-
ed The burning Of sulphur in pots, the
method now in use to disnfect ships here,
is worthless and altogether unreliable as
germicide This is the opinion express
ed by the highest authorities at home and
abroad" DR.. LeHardy quoted authorities
and discussed methods of disinfection at
some length.
AT the quarantine station" said DR..
LeHardy 'the sulphur chamber and
blast should be put in working order. A
small house should be provided for per-
sons, who may be sick with yellow fever
or cholera; also a house for small poX pa
tients and one for the detention of those
suspected of Infection These houses
should be supplied with every necessary
accommodation, and the practice of send
ing vessels to the Sapelo station should be
discontinued at once. The present slow
method of discharging ballast should be
abandoned with all possible haste and
some modern system. of cable-ways should
replace it, 1 think The L4idgerwood sys-
tenn is probably as good as can be got
ten"
With this system, DR.. LeHardy said
vessel can be discharged in one to two
days. removed from the wharf to make
room for another, and by means of the
floating plant disnfected in the stream,
her loading berth at Savannah within
three days after arriving at the quaran-
tine wharf.
Leaving the subject of quarantine, Dr.
LeHardy dwelt upon the loca. sanitary
conditions and the necessity of thorough
drainage of lowlands within and adjoining
the city limits. These lands can be per-
manently and quickly drained before the
hot weather is upon us, he said. Privy
vaults and dry wells were mentioned and
their closing and the substitution of the
pail system, where no sewer connection
is obtainabie was advocated. The most
important of all sanitary measures and
the one without which Savannah can never
be secure from an attack of yellow fever,
DR.. LeHardy said, is house drainage. He
advocated that the appropriation of So
OO0 for this purpose in the city budget be
at once applied to the building of house
sewers and beginning made and that ar
rangements be entered into with proper
parties to carry this work ahead and take
their pay in annual appropriations.
There was a little tilt between DIR. Brun-
ner and DR.. LeHardy over the question
as to the formers belief in maritime quar-
antine.
I'm maritime sanitation, yes" replied
DIR. LeHardy.
DIR. Drummer repeated the question once
or twice, which nettled DIR. LeHardy and
such "schoolboy quizzing."
DR.. Drummer continued by asking DR..
LeHardy if he believed in land quarantine
DR.. LeHardy replied that he did not. DR..
Drummer recited the case of Brunswick
and the land quarantine maintained
against that city by Savannah.
1T was the greatest outrage ever per-
petrated upon the American people by the
marine hospital service" declared DR.. Lee
Hardy. He contended that in cases of yell
low fever epidemic land quarantine can
not prevent the spread of the infection.
The work of the marine hospital service
in Brownsville and elsewhere in Texas
was cited by DR.. Drummer. DR.. LeHardy
replied with some spirited remark on the
subject of shotgun quarantine, and said
that the maintenance of such a quaran-
tine at Brownsville did not prevent the fe-
yer from spreading to other points
Mr.. Conner asked DIR. LeHardy if the use
of the Sapelo station be abandoned what
he would do in case of a vessel arriving al
the quarantine station with yellow fever
on board.
Dr. LeHardy replied that he would pro-
vide a place for the diseased persons at
quarantine and keep them there.
Mr.. Conner inquired if there would not
be more risk in this than in sending the
vessels to Sapelo. DIR. LeHardy did not
think so.
to make a few remarks and was invited
to do so. He gave an intelligent explana-
ton of quarantine and the reasons for the
precautions exercised there. While nom
inally the period of incubation of yellow
fever is three days, he said, it has been
proved in numerous instances that the
period is as long as eight days.
Dr. Graham asserted that the burning
of sulphur in pots is as god as any other
system of disinfecting vessels, no matter
who declares to the contrary. Sulphurous
acid gas is the cheapest and most avaia-
BILE disinfectant in the reach of the world
to-day, he said. II is entirely impract-
cable to disinfect a vessel with steam, he
said, for the reason that there is no way
to compress the steam, on account of
condensation.
DR.. Graham differed with DR.. LeHardy
on the subject of yellow fever infection.
There is no such think known as sponta-
neous Infection he said. Three things are
necessary before there can be an epidemic.
he said, first the germs, second, the soil
for the germs to grown in, and third, the
temperature. BY soil, he said, he meant
people who had never had yellow fever.
Given the infection and the material,