The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-10

tion through the shipping The mayor of
the city, John T. Ward In his yearly re-
port says: The first cause assigned was
the Introduction of the fever from the
brig Charlotte Hayne, a Danish vessel
bound from Havana to Copenhagen, which
put into Cockspurs road June 20. The
port physician visited her on the Both, and
reported two cases of slight sickness on
board. On the I'd of July the captain and
two seamen came up to town, and went
70 the Savannah infirmary, whence they
were discharged "cured" on the 18th.
Following the epidemic of 1854, the port
physician was replaced by a health Off
Ger and quarantine regulations were made.
Pilots were instructed to bring vessels at
anchor at Tybee roads, instead of at Fort
Jackson, If there was sickness on board
or If they came from Key West, the West
Indies, South America or Mexico, or from
foreign countries without a clean bill of
health, they were detained until inspect
ed by the health officer. If there had
been sickness on board, they were detained
five days and fumigated. If there were
cases of yellow fever on board the patients
were treated on board. Cases of small
pox were carried to the pest house.
On the 26th Of May 1871, pilots were in
structed to anchor ell vessels with clean
bills of health at the blight of Long Island.
called Upper Quarantine, of this latter
change" DR. J. c. Habersham health Of
ncer, says: Two years experience has
proved II to be highly conducive TO the
interests of commerce and of the city"
He recommends the establishment of a
telegraph line to Tybee as well as the
erection of quarantine hospital on that
island.
This city's mortuary records. compiled
| by DR.. William Duncan, from 1854 to 1862
and by DR.. j. j. Warning from 80 to Is,
show that there were 62o deaths from yell
low fever, resulting from a general cpl
demic Of yellow fever in 1854 that 112 per-
sons died of that disease In 1858, four died
in 1861 contracted at Tybee), IL In 1864
in 1866, s in 1866 In 1868, IN 1869. 8 in 1871.
! in 1874 in 1875. 500 died during the epi-
demic of 1876, and / died in 1877. This
shows very plainly that our quarantine
regulations. which had been more rigid
and enforced very strictly. both by the
health officer and by the pilots, did not
prevent cases Of yellow fever from origi-
mating here from local or epidemic causes
or from coming into the city from other
places, either by sea or by land. In 1854
the condition of the city, as described by
Drs. Arnold Posey and others, were such
as to cause an epidemic In the summer
of 1858 there was a very severe epidemic
| of break-bone fever here, which, upon the
occurrence of a wet August and a hot and
| sultry September combined with local
| conditions induced a spirit of yellow fever
to spring up in the northwestern sections
| OF our city.
among the troops quartered at Tybee;
Drs. Read and Johnston saw and treated
these cases. In 1864. during the blockade,
the western lowlands being submerged to
protect the city from an attack of the
enemy on that side, a spell of very hot
weather came upon us in the early part
Of October AS a result os heat, dampness
and accumulated filth on that slope. yell
low fever occurred; 1 treated sixteen cases
during October and early November, out
of which four very malignant cases died
with black vomit. But while many per-
sons came in with the disease. or sporadic
cases broke out here and there from local
causes, i'm no instance did the disease
spread In the interval of twenty-five
years; and then I'm 1876, as fully shown by
DR.. j. j. Waring and many others, the
same conditions, known to be necessary
for the production of an epidemic, were
found here In the early part of summer.
and cases OF yellow fever had been treated
by the doctors long before ii was said to
have been imported through the shipping
or that It was hidden In the ballast"
No material changes were made In our
quarantine regulations until 1878, when the
board of sanitary commissioners. created
the preceding year, recommended rigid
quarantine at this port in conformity with
the suggestions of Surgeons Harvey
Brown and Ely Mcclellan, and as result
Of the actions of a convention held in
1AAhnOhNht1s
They also recommended the building of
suitable wharves. of a hospital building.
and the purchase OF two Girard fumigat-
ors, one for the quarantine station and one
to be used in the city. April Is, 70. Com
missioner Duncan recommended the APP
pointment Of a quarantine officer and as
slstants, which recommendation was ac-
cepted, and DR.. j. A. Huger was appoint
cd on May this quarantine notice was
published: On and after this date, and
until further notice, all vessels coming to
this port from ports south Of Cape Hat
teras, from South America, the West India
Islands and any of the Gulf ports, shall
be required to stop and remain at the
lower quarantine station, opposite Cock
spur Island, until inspected by the quar-
antine officer at that point. and granted
by him written permit to come up to the
city. Any vessel coming the inland route
from Florida or other southern port will
not be permitted TO land either passenger
or freight until inspected by the health Of
flcer No vessel from the above mentioned
ports VIII be detained longer than SUM-
cient TO be thoroughly cleansed, fumigat-
ed. disinfected and rendered not liable to
convey any contagious or infectious dis
ease. Pilots and masters Of vessels will
be- held strictly responsible for the observ-
ance OF this notice, under penalty prescrib-
ed by law for any violation OF the same
BY order Of the mayor, J. c. Habersham
MfhAAN 0hlAtAs AAAft lntht ItkulullOnN.
faithfully carried out our city was per-
fectly safe. Neither yellow fever or small
pox were permitted TO cross our quaran-
tine although the authorities failed 10
provide the Girard's fumigators. on
July 81. the following order was issued:
All vessels coming from infected ports
with sickness on board, shall not be ad-
mitted 10 pratique or be relieved from
quarantine until twelve days after they
have been disinfected, and then only by
order OF the board"
In January. 1879, protest
was received by the sanitary
commission against certain quar-
sntlne regulations. Whereupon, It was
decided that "All vessels from Infected
ports must stop at quarantine for inspec-
ton: II with no sickness on board and
with stone ballast. no further detention
viii be required: II with sand ballast. Il
must be discharged at the quarantine sta
ton. The Georgia Medical Society recon-
mends appointment of a sanitary inspector
not approved by council.