The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-10-29
Or. HAMILTON'S CHARGES.

lue lOlloWlnp lb coplcu lTou. bhc
Coast Beacon, published ut Pass
Christian; and the 1rst paragraph Is
the comments Of that paper on the
subject involved.
DR.. John j. Hamilton, late sur
geOn general 6f the Marine Hospital
| Service, makes the following charges
against the location OF the quaran-
tine station at Ship Island, and his
views on this matter have proven cor
rect. We have always opposed the
location Of this pest house AZ the
gate OF entrance TO the Mississippi
coast for the same reasons that DR..
Hamilton advances, and there Is no
denying the fact that as long as IL Is
permitted to remain at Ship Island we
will constantly be exposed TO the in
PRODUCTION Of yellow fever into our
midst. In addition TO his other
charges DR.. Hamilton says that the
station Is being maintained at It's
present location IN defiance OF law,
and If this charge be true those who
are guilty should be severely pun
ished.
The New Orleans Picayune gives
the following report Of DR.. Hamilton
to the Secretary Of the Treasury In
1888.
Sin my Judgment, n of the Chan
dcleur islands, or the Grand GOzier,
would be a much better place for the
quarantine, and would in the long
run, be less expensive to manage than
the M OF Ship Island. Ship Island
being on the border of the Mississippi
Sound, one Of the chain OF low lying
Islands forming the boundary be-
tween the Gulf OF Mexico and Missis-
sippi Sound, Is directly in the line Of
travel for vessels bound TO Pasca.
goula, Biloxi, Pass Christian and Lake
Pontchartrain. Vessels coming to
these ports for lumber and timber are
very apt TO become infected while ~
ing near the quarantine anchorage,
and it was only with great difficulty
that such vessels were prevented this
year from being infected, aud, as Sta
ted by DR.. Godfrey and Mr.. Glenn, it
is scarcely possible for the location Of
the buildings on the island Ito have
been much worse with reference To
this point.
Moreover, for vessels going to New
Orleans, Ship Island is a long dis.
lance from the passes OF the river and
too far from the track OF vessels bound
for New Orleans, IA point repeatedly
made by the Louisiana State Board
OF Health. A new station on one OF
the Chandelier Islands, if erected,
would apparently cost but little more
than to make the necessary altera-
lions aud place in proper condition
the Ship Island quarantine, and it
would then be in a place not only
safe, but convenient.
DR.. HamiltOn'S statement OF the
dangers uf the situation as it existed
was fully justified by the facts, and
so impressed was lie with the neceS-
sity Tor the removal of the station
from Ship Island that he never rest
ed until Congress authorized the re-
moyal and appropriated $4,000 for The
erection OF the proper structures on
the North Chandelier Island, in the
Gulf Of Mexico, of the eastern side Of
the entrance into the mouth Of the
Mississippi river. The station Was
ready for business in the %beginningOf
1889, and was carried on with entire
success and benefit TO the public
hurricane of October, 1873, which raw
aged theGulf coast. The station was
then abandoned, and ship Island was
again resOrted 70.
DR.. Hamilton, commenting on these
facts says.
Ship Island is five miles from shore
in Mississippi Bay, and Chandelier
Island is twenty-eight miles from
shore. The change | deemed absO-
necessary to prevent dangerous
diseases from obtaining u foOtllold in
the communities along the Gulf. The
Island Station was never
popular with officers, however, bucausel
1t was so far from shore. No attempts |
were made to repair the quarantine |
buildings, however, and it vas gener-
ally advertised that | had make a mis- |
in causing the change To be made
from Ship Island. About two years
ago the station on Chandelier Island
was entirely abandoned and the sta
ton re-established on Ship Island, in
open defiance to the laws Of Congress
and in the face Of determined and
vigorous protests from the health au-
thOrities Of the State of Mississippi.
Last year the seeds were sown, and
this year we are reaping the harvest
Of death. The changing back of the
quarantine station to Ship Island
was q crime, and the responsibility OF
The move rests upon General Wyman
IS the head Of the Marine Hospital
Service. Ship Island is entirely I'M
for a quarantine station. 1t is
surrounded by shOal water on three
sides! There is thirty feet OF water
u, one side, and practically all the
land on that side. There is
comparatively free intercOmmunica-
lion between the crews of vessels at
anchor. Not only that, but il is a
common practice, Winked at by the
)%ficers, for men from the ships at the
Stands to visit the mainland every
hight. Under this criminally loose
md negligent discipline it is impossi-
ole to prevent contagious or t%enaci-
diseases from being carried
A quarantine station on
Ship l land affords no protection
against epidemics. 1t Is II great pity
hat a terrible scourge, such as is now
iffiicting the Gulf cities, should have
been necessary to my vindication.
the circumstances, and in view
the fact that l was viciously at
for having caused the removal
II the quarantine station from Ship
Island to Chandelier Island, l have
hesitation In calling public atten.
ion and TO locate the responsibility.