The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-22

in specific regulations being issued by the
government to prevent the spread OF the
plague from that port TO the United
States.
And, going still further. the plague i'm
China and in India, the cholera among ths
pilgrims to Mecca, and the outbreak OF
any epidemic disease in any port of Eu-
rope or Asia is at once felt practically
by the steamship owners and agents. the
merchants and health authorities of the
United States.
The sanitary obligations of the nations,
therefore. one to another, become obvious
and, if rightly considered and acted upon,
would be 'but national compliance with
the Divine command to do unto others
as you would that they should do unto
YOU"
The nature of sanitary obligations may
be illustrated by a consideration of tho
untoward results when they are neglect
ed. In 1893 three ships loaded with emf
grants left Naples, where cholera pre-
vailed for ports in Brazil. The dread dis
ease appear ed upon all of these ships be-
fore they had arrived at their respective
ports of destination and the authorities,
either through want of knowledge or be-
cause unproVided with the means for their
care, which they Should have had, coldly
| forbade the ships to land; and sent them
back after their long and disastrous jour
ney on a return journey equally long and
more disastrous, the ships leaving a trail
Of dead in their wake; on the homewarl
voyage. In 1892, while the cholera prevail
ed in Hamburg, with reckless indifference
to their sanitary obligations, the steam
ships brought infected immigrants to the
United States, where they were stopped
at quarantine, and so great was the men,
ace that the President of the United
States was called upon and did issue an
order laying such an embargo on immi-
grafton traffic as practically to stop it,
40 sinh Of int rnafi al a oh
legations is one that has been considered
in a restricted manner by special conyen-
tons held in European countries to con-
slider measures against the progress Of
plague and cholera, and at the Pan-Amer-
| lean Medical Congress, held at the CITY
of Mexico, in 1895, at which were repre-
scented all the republics of the Western
Hemisphere, a system of quarantine to be-
adopted by each Of the countries repre-
scented was agreed upon. requiring of each
country to protect itself and at the same
time to give as much information as pos
sible to each of the other countries join
ing in the agreement.
This at least is a beginning of what is
hoped will be more perfect understands
ing between the countries of the Western
Hemisphere for their mutual protection
But hand in hand with quarantine
which is simply the sanitation of ships Isl
the question of the sanitation of the mar
bors and ports from which they sail.
In the Forum of February 1885, in dis
GUESSING the possibility of the elimination
of yellow fever, the great pest of our
Western Hemisphere, L ventured to sug-
gest an International agreement looking
to such sanitation of seaports as would
destroy the ordinary breeding grounds Of
this perennial menace. The late DR.. John
NJ Woodwork, first surgeon general OF
the Marine Hospital Service, in an adj
dress before the International Medicai
Congress, at Philadelphia, in 1876, stated
that the endemic homes of cholera and
yellow fever are the fields which give the
greatest promise of satisfactory results
to well directed and energetic sanitary
measures. conference of quarantlhs
and sanitary officers in Montgomery, Ala's
in March, 1899, resolved, that il is duty
devolving on all nations to take measures
to eradicate any plague center from tnelr
territory. This resolution was affirmed
subsequently by the American MedlcaI
Association and in October of 1876 ina
American Public Health Association de-
clared that 1t is the duty of every gov
eminent possessing seaports infected
with yellow fever to institute such en-
cheering and other sanitary measures as
will remove this menace to the seaports
of other nations.
The necessity of conjoint action is seen
in the fact that one seaport cleaned ana
deprived of its yellow fever terminating
influences is nevertheless subject to re-
infection from some other port not mus
purified.
The suggestion which I offered for con-
sideration, and still hold out for further
consideration, is that of a convention
composed Of public santarians, civil engl-
neers and financiers, whose duty II shou"
be to prepare treaty providing Tor an
examination of the chief fever ports DY
a commission representing the repuphGs
afar4a God IL fruy 60 NIL
to put into effect the measures recon-
mended by the commission, or measures
OF its own which would meet with the
commissions approval, and by way OF
enforcement to provide that the nations
Interested should impose such discrlhlln"-
tive tariff, tonnage taxes, or quarantine
restraints as would cause any otenulls
nation, in its own interest, to comply VII"
the terms Of the treaty
Since publishing this suggestion ] nave
had an opportunity, in an unofficial maui
ner, Of bringing the matter TO the atteh,,
ton Of number of representative OF
Central and South American Republics ~
Washington and OF men experience III
affairs of state, md familiar with inter-
national law, and from none have
ceived opinions other than that the pa"
Is feasible and wise
At the great international Commerce.
Congress he'd in Philadelphia in Octoper
last the Consul General OF Uruguay
brought this matter. as an important on
10 the attention of the Congress Ai'oL
referring to the fact that Cuba is now ~
ing purified he states that this being lu9
case there is no reason why ports IN Crn-
trial and South America should not
ceive the same local treatment, that VIM
one thinks Of the great mortality, OF ,uo
destruction of commercial prospeI'9'
caused by this pest, no efforts TO SUI
press 1t can be considered too great ,',
stated that he, himself. had seen Icy
years before. in a South American pol%
vessels from all parts Of the world sou,
of which had been whiting eight mon'ns
to unload. which were completely hohe,
oombed by worms. their cargoes ooi pys