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

vessels from the West Indies have dis
charged ballast for years past at these
WharVes; most of the ground
in that vicinity is made up
OF ballast from Spanish vessels and 9th
ers." In his annual report, he SAYS: NO
case of yellow fever on vessels arriving
here were brought to my official notice
the quarantine was in force and vessels
from infected ports were kept in quaran-
tine.
DR.. J. T. Mcfarland, health officer. in
the mayors report for 1876 says: Il as
sert. first, that no Spanish vessel arrived
at savannah from quarantine, having Rad
sickness of any kind on board, until after
yellow fever cases had occurred in the
city. Second, ] aIso affirm that the re-
port which was circulated, stating that
Spanish sailors escaped from a vessel
while at quarantine and came to the CITY
is without foundation" To the state boar I'd
of health he said: 1T has been the Gus
tom for years to establish quarantine on
June /. Upon the arrival of a vessel
from an infected port l am notified by
telegraph from the quarantine station
The vessel cannot come up to the city an
I'll l visit her and give permit The usual
detention is ten days from port to port,
if she has a clean bill of health If there
is sickness on board, the health officer
can keep her at quarantine at his discre-
ton. No vessel arrived at this city in less
than ten days"
Vessels coming from Havana with clean
bills Of health are allowed to come to port
in ten days-that is, ten days from port
to port. . The Maria Carlina" (said
to have had yellow fever on board), which
reached Tybee on the I'd of August and
came to Savannah on the 18th of August
when | mustered the crew one man was
missing. I did not rely on his Cthe
captain) statement, but acted as if he
ha1 haa 1Trar L L., i ~
thoroughly fumgated burning sulphur in
the hold, as is now done. Don't
believe yellow fever was brought here at
all. Don't believe in importation or con-
tagion Of il. Don't believe yellow
fever can be imported; don't think the
quarantine would keep it out; defy any
one to prove that yellow fever was ever
brought to this port have never seen a
particle of evidence of any epidemic hav-
ing been brought here. Such were
the opinions of our mayor, of the health
officer and of a great majority of the
medical profession.
In 1877 there was an outbreak of yellow
fever in Fernandina, Fla, and vicinity.
Surgeon Mcclellan was on hand and pur-
sued the same policy there as he did here.
So well did he manage the work that he
succeeded in inducing many Of our infiu-
entail men as well as representatives., to
meet at Jacksonville, where they passed
resolutions recommending the enactment
by congress of a law having in view the
establishment of a central quarantine bu-
reau In Washington.
Under the leadership of the supervising
surgeon general of the Marine Hospital
service, Or. John Woodwork, and the
help of some southern representa- tives.
the act "To prevent the Introduction OF
contagious and infectious diseases was
very easily passed through congress at
its next session. This law did not seem
TO imply Interference with the existing
state or municipal quarantine system. but
in section 5, 10 says that officers and
agents OF the state or municipal authori-
ties shall be clothed with all the powers
OF federal officers for quarantine pur.
poses" and thus they came under the
control Of the surgeon general Of the ma
rlne hospital service. AT the same time
strenuous efforts were made TO establish
In Washington quarantine bureau, with
central authority over all the vessels
coming into or going from our seaports.
A board OF experts with discrminatlve
powers would have the power 20 decide
upon the closing Of a port 60 commerce
through its quarantine regulations The
scheme ZEN through, as our people were
not ready yet 60 give such arbitrary power
into the hands Of any man Or any set OF
men