The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-04
RANSACKHD FOR GERMS
The Steamship City of Rome Ar
rives From Glasgow.
A Rigid Inspection Imposed by New
York Health officials - Tempern-
Passengers Taken - All Allowed
to Land - other Ships Expected.

NEW YORK. Sept. 3.-The Anchor Line
steamship City of Rome, the first vessel
to reach here from Glasgow since the out
break OF bubonic plague in that port, was
ransaeked by Health Officer Doty and his
staff for over five hours this afternoon IN
search Of anybody who might reasonably
be suspected of having a germ Of the
plague concealed about his person.
incidentally. of course. the quarantine
corps were looking for persons who might
be unconsciously smuggling in germs OF
other infectious diseases. But it was the
bacillus CT the bubonic plague that DR..
Doty was particularly looking for and did
not find. Ship and passengers were allowed
to come to the city.
There were 1853 persons on the Rome.
all told-l91 first cabin passengers, 244
second cabin. 3SS steerage and 296 crew.
The saloon passengers were inspected first.
Each one Of the 4s1 was called up and iden-
titled, and after being keenIy looked over
by a health officer. was checked of and
passed as not guilty With second cabin
and steerage passengers and with the
crew, the scientific cross-examination was
more rigid In addition to being called
up and identified each one Of them had his
temperature taken. More than thirty ther-
mometers were put into use and as each
thermometer after use had to be disinfect-
ed, the process was slow one. As tenn
perature of each person was taken it was
noted down and kept as a matter of record.
The result of this rigid examination,
which BEGAN between and O'Clock in the
morning. was that at 1920 in the after
noon the City of Rome not only was pro-
nounced to be above suspicion so far rs
the bubonic plague was concerned, but got
the same clean bill Of health from Dr.
Doty which her cwn medical officer Dr..
Shand, had given to her when he report
ed at quarantine. At 1928 she started
fer her dock. where her passengers were
allowed to land, save S3s in the steerage,
of course, who were held to be run
through The immigration commissioners
sieve.
All on board the steamer took the
medical examination in entire good part
when it was explained to them that the
bubonic plague had broken out in Glas-
gov after the vessels departure. The
Rome sailed on the 25th. The first case
of the disease was not reported until the
9th. week ago today. AS matter of
fact the City Of Rome did not come from
Glasgow proper. but from Greenoek.
twenty-one miles below the city.
But Greenoek is to all intents and pur-
poses e part CT the port OF Glasgow and
has been included in the twenty-four-
hour quarantine announced today as hav-
ing been imposed by Bremen against all
vessels arriving at that port from Glas-
gov.
The State Of Nebraska, Of the Allan
State Line. which is due tomorrow comes
direct from Glasgow, and will have to
undergo as rigid an examination as did
the City Of Rome, although she left Gias-
cow on August z3. two days before the
City Of Rome left Greenoek-
Notwiths landing the fact that the exam
ination CT the City Of Rome showed not one
to be i'll. there stiil might be some qass-
ticn as TO the absolute immunity Of ner
passengers from plague fer the reason that
it was only nine days from the time she
sailed until DR.. Doty Inspected heT, where
as IT takes sometimes ten or more days
after incubation for the bubCnic plague to
develop.
This being the case. it is entirely possi-s
bic that person who got through The
health eficers' hands today would not come
down with the disease. If he were raYellns
to the West. say until he had reached
Chicago OF even Omaha and beyond. The
City of Pome is slow boat. as trans
Atlantic liners go now, and this brings out
one Of the quarantine problems which the
rapid reduction in transatlantic travel is
Several DISEASES OF an infectious
nature require ter days for development,
and a five and a half O. six day beat might
easily bring here 3 person thoroughly
tainted with such disease, who at Quar-
antine would show no symptoms Of it.
With this in view. the short tventyfour
hours quarantine just imposed at Bremen
upon Glasgow boats Is somewhat Of pnz-
zle to health officers.