The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-06
YEARS WORK AT QUARANTINE.
DIR. LINLEN's REPORT TELLS OF
IMPROVEMENTS AT THE STATION.


Oh OBTAINING Vessels an Improve
ment over IS0T-AdditIonnI Moor
ing Derths Recommended As
Mems OF Lessenlng Time of De-
tcntlOn-IIcePcr OI<eefe of city
Dispcnsnry Reports Large Saw
ing on the Cost of Prescriptions as
Compared with That When city
Contracted with Drug Stores for
Medicines.
In connection with the report of Health
Officer LeHardy, which has just been filed
with Mayor Myers are those of Quaran-
tine officer Linley and Keeper O'Keefe
of the city dispensary, which make up two
of the most interesting features of the
health departments work
The figures embraced in Dr. Lnley's
report show that he had his hands fun
during the year. He boarded and inspect
ed S9S vessels, carrying S,557 seamcn and
S07 passengers. OF these vessels 1853 We're
given free pratique on inspection, and So
were detailed for quarantine regulations.
OF the 39S vessels boarded 276 were board
ed with the quarantine tug Theckla. and
l22 with the quarantine skim. Fify-fve
vessels arrived in Tybee roads for orders,
many of which put 10 sea without coming
into the harbor In addition to the total
number of arrived vessels mentioned, there
were 2H coastwise vessels, which were ad-
mitted without inspection in accordance
with orders from the sanitary board. II
was understood that vessels of this class
should hoist the yellow flag for the quar-
antine officers benefit If there had been
any sickness aboard.
The foregoing figures show a decrease OF
ninety-eight vessels for inspection and
thirty-eight for detention as compared with
the last year" the report goes on TO say,
The decrease in the former number of
vessels is partly explained by the fact that
American coastwise vessels, which We're
Inspected last year, We're not inspected
this year, and consequently do not APP
pear in the report of vessels boarded and
inspected"
The improved facilities at the station for
the discharge of ballast have enabled DR..
Linley to make a good report of the time
of detention of vessels, as compared with
the time they We're detained fast year.
The yearly average period for detention
was 6.H days, as against 1901 days for the
year previous. The summer average Is
704 days, as compared with 14.7 days in
1897, and the winter average was 5.23 days,
as compared with AZ days.
The report shows that {, 129 tons of sand,
and 2625 tons of rock ballast we're dis
charged at the station during the year.
There are now IT'S tons of stone ballast
on the station. when not engaged in their
regular duties of hosting ballast and rum
ming the disinfecting plant" il is reported,
the engineer ana fireman have employed
their spare time patching the wharf and
runs, keeping the machinery in repair,
painting roofs and doing other work about
the station. The two boatmen, in addition
TO carrying me in the slKiff to board 122
vessels, and assisting to disinfect under
my directions Qumigating and washing
down the holds, have kept the station
buildings whitewashed, the wharf and
grounds clean, the skin secured and paint
ed and the sailors quarters in proper con-
dltion. They have also extended the sew
ers eighty feet
DR.. Linley called attention to the dam
age of $500, which was done to the sta
ton by storms. All this was promptly
repaired, however, the City Council com
ing to the rescue with an appropriation
sufficient to make the necessary repairs.
Il respectfully recommend the building
of two extra berths for vessels" DR.. Lin
ley says, the filling In of the station
grounds by ballast hands. or by means
of scraper' the enlargement of quar-
tiers for sailors, and the erection Of a
small hospital building The importance
for extra berth room for vessels Is clear
ly demonstrated by the decrease in the
periods OF detention for vessels this year
as compared with last. This year we had
only thirty-fivc vessels for quarantine, and
ample berth room. while last year vessels
waited at times as long as
twenty-four days before getting
berth, which made the summer average
fourteen days, as compared with seven
days for 1898. An effort should be made
to get sufficient water and room in the
quarantine anchorage for deeply loaded
and large vessels to lie with safety while
undergoing disinfection. At present YES
sells of this kind would either have to lie
at Tybee or at Venus Point. and as either
point is mics from the station, proper
distinction would be almost Impossible.
Savannah's Importance as a maritime CEN
ter is enough 10 recommend whatever i'm
provements appear to be necessary"
Keeper O'Keefe of the CITY dIsnansarv
gives consjder4b bic interesting data I'm his
report. The number of prescriptions filled
during the year for whites were 13444 and
for colored 41,624, making a total of SIS yO6S.
The report shows the largest number were
filled during September and October, when
the totals ran above 5000. The total ex-
pense of running the dlspensary during the
year, including salaries, rent, lights, sup
plies and all incidentals. was $5,77O37. This
makes the average cost Of each prescrip-
tion 1917 cents. In addition TO prescriptions
the dlspensary furnished a large amount
Of surgical dressings to city physicians for
use in office and emergency calls.
II take pleasure In calling attention to
the fact that the total expenditures of the
have been 81, 229. SO less than the
amount appropriated for its maintenance"
Mr.. O'Keefe says. This is due to economy
used in the purchase Of supplies he says !
and an effort to get the lowest possible |
prices. A comparison of the foregoing fig |
ures with the reports of previous years. |
the report says, when the medicines were |
furnished by contract with drug stores
will prove that the city is now having the |
same amount of work done at a saving |
Of about $1,000 per annum. The people |
who are compelled to take advantage OF |
this branch Of the city's charity, get the |
h 10 hnqf grade of pharmacies and tho ,,,oet /