Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-01-26
How New York Guards
Against Bubonic Plague
IFrom the New York Herald


err of the dread yellow fever or of the
more dread bubonic plague, at the port
of New York find their progress eff
fectually barred. For at least three
years the health authorities at quaran-
tine have been fully prepared to fight
all kinds of infectious diseases.
Constant experiments have been 60
ing on in the archaeological labora-
tory. Numerous serums have been
produced by the incubation Of animals
and important discoveries have been
made in the use of gases for the de-
strcuction of disease germs. Improved
apparatus have been obtained for the
application of disinfecting agents, and
the use of formaldehyde gas in the
place of the old time sulphurous acid
has been long step forward.
All ships arriving at this port are
boarded by deputy health officer from
the Charles +. Allen. IL the ship has
come from an infected port, or IL any
of her passengers or crew show signs of
contagious disease, the vessel is order
ed into quarantine and completely iso-
lated. The first step then taken by
the health officers is to destroy all
germ life on board the infected ship.
For this work the James w. Wads-
worth, small sidewheel steamer, has
been deliberately fitted out. The Wads-
worth. equipped with a complete ster-
ilizing plant is moved alongside the
infected ship. The passengers and
crew, with all their baggage and per-
sonal effects, are assembled on the up
per deck of the Wadsworth; THENCE
passing down companonway to THE
disrobing rooms in the stern. Each
persons clothing is made into a sepa1-
ate bundle for which check is giveh.
All then pass into the antiseptic BATH
rooms. These suites Of rooms are in
duplicate, so that male and female pa$
sengers may be treated at the samt
time, with the most perfect seclusioi
and privacy. The whole interior of the
boat with which infected passengers
or crews come in contact is enamelled
with porcelain. Il
The bathrooms are divided into
stalls, where each person, occupying
his individual cell" is treated to q
shower bath of weak solution of
chloride Of mercury, which destroyA
all the germs that may be present on:
the surface of the body. While this
has been going on the clothing has]
been sterilized by the action of SUPER
heated steam in large steel vacuum:
chambers in the central compartment
of the boat. A hatchway in the deck
opens into this disinfecting room, and \
any objects like beddinfi which 1t ISL
desirable to treat in the retort with the |
bundles of clothing are pitched down |
from above. An iron cradle is drawn I
out of the steam chamber, which is
loaded with the objects infected.
When this is showed back into place
and the opening made fast the steam is
turned on, subjecting the articles to |
heat Of 240 degrees Fahrenheit. All ar
ticles of clothing which might be dam
aged or destroyed by the action of
steam are disinfected with formalde-
hyde gas, which Is sure death to all |
germs and does not injuriously affect |
Passing from the bathrooms the pas
sengers receive their clothing and are |
to Hoffman Island, where
they are detained during the period of
incubation of the disease germs, which
is usually from six to eight days.
The disinfection of the passengers
and crew having been accomplished,
the attention of the officials of the
Wadsworth Is turned to the sterilizing
of staterooms, hold and cargo. All
bedding, all table linen, carpets, rugs
and hangings are treated with SUPER
heated steam in the vacuum sterilizing
chamber. A portable formaldehyde
gas generator is then carried on board |
and the staterooms and saloons are
filled. with this gas, the most power
full disinfectant known.
The hatchways in the ships hold are
battened down and live
steam, formaldehyde gas and sulphur
dioxide gas are blown in sufficient
volume and strength to search out
every crevice and Granny Of the wood
work. After a period of six or eight
hours the shin Is completely opened up