Evening star., 1901-04-02
LACK OF QUARANTINE
DANGER MENACING TRAVELLERS IN
SOUTH AMERICA.
Passengers Confined I'm q Fever Ship
for Month-Turned From Ono
Port After Another.

Mr.. Perry NJ. de Leon. United States con-
sui general to Ecuador, has called the at
tention Of the marine hospital service to
the danger menacing travellers to Central
and South American ports through the lack
of quarantine facilities in the ports OF
those countries. A case is cited of passen-
gers being confined in a fever ship for
month, while the vessel was turned away
from one port after another, all assistance
refused and the fever meanwhile continu-
Ing its ravages on board.
The consul general incloses a letter from
Mr.. Archer Harman, manager of an Ecua-
doran railroad enterprise, giving the dread
full ordeal to which the passengers were
subjected
MIR. Harman's Report.
I'm reply to your request for report on
my trip last summer on the steamer Chile
writes Mr.. Harman. II beg to say that
about July 9, 1900, 1 went aboard the
steamer Chile at Panama with a party of
fourteen, consisting of engineers and super
intendents employed by my company in
Ecuador, and two ladies-one the wife OF
one OF our engineers and the other the
sister of our assistant chief engineer. The
second day out from Panama there was one
death on board from yellow fever. We ar
rived at Puma, on the Guayas river, on
observation for six days, as there was
quarantine station at Puma or at the port
of Guayaquil; in fact, none upon the coast
of Ecuador. The captain of the steamer
determined to proceed south to Payta.
On arriving at Payta we had two more
deaths from yellow fever. That port re-
fused to receive us, as there was no quar-
antine station; neither would they allow
the steamer to remain in the harbor. On
leaving Payta it developed that there was
no doctor on board ship; that the man
whom the Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany had shipped as physician had only
consented to represent himself as such to
obtain a free passage to Callao. In due
course we arrived at the port of Callao.
The authorities there refused to allow the
steamer to enter the harbor or the pas
sengers to communicate with the shore,
stating that there was no quarantine sta
ton and that those on board the ship must
remain there. While in the port of Callao
two further deaths occurred from the same
disease.
1.-The authorities at Callao were requested
repeatedly to send physician and medi
cine and disinfectants on board the ship,
but refused to do so. f-arranged with w.
R. Grace & Co. to charter a steamer to
take me off the Chile and to proceed to
sea with my party, remaining there until
the authorities would be satisfied to receive
us. but the Peruvian authorities declined to
allow the steamer which w. r. Grace &
Co. had chartered to take myself and party
from the steamer Chile. After eXhauSting
all the means IN our power TO lnQuce tne
Peruvian authorities to charter at our eX-
pense sailing vessel or some other method
Of placing us in quarantine, and their re-
fusing to do SO, We then proceeded south
and in due course arrived at africa.
Driven Out Again.
"Unfortuntely, two or three deaths had
occurred between Callao and africa. There
being no quarantine station at africa, a
small gunboat was ordered out and drove
the steamer out of the harbor refusing to
provide either medicine, disinfectants or
provisions. We then proceeded south, and
in due course arrived at Pisagua, where the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company had
some coal stored in barges. The author-
ties there attempted to drive US out of the
harbor but as the steamer had no coal 1t
was impossible for us to proceed.
1T was finally agreed that the steamer
should proceed to sea five miles, that light
ers or barges containing coal should be
anchored within a mile and a half of the
steamer, and that the crew of the steamer
should tow them out and unload them,
sinking the bargeS after the cargo was
discharged. After consuming several days
in obtaining coal. and one or two further
deaths occurring, but failing to obtain
either medicine or disinfectants, we pro-
ceeded south. and in due time arrived at
Valparaiso, after the loss of several more
passengers by yellow fever, arriving in
Valparaiso about August 10, where, after a
careful inspection, the passengers were al
lowed to land.
There are no quarantine stations on the
west coast Of South America between Pan
ANA and Valparaiso, neither are there any
quarantine stations at Panama or Valpa-
raiso There is no place where a steamer
on which there is an infectious disease can
land or discharge it's passengers the
west coast Of South America; neither Is it
possible to secure medicines, disinfectants
or medical attendance. The Chile is
English steamer, owned by the Pacific
Steam Navigation Company"
Quarantine Essential.
The marine hospital report in which the
statement is published calls attention to
the fact that 'the report on international
quarantine adopted by the Pan-American
medical congress in the City Of Mexico.
November. 1896, provided. among other
measures that each government should
maintain quarantine stations at it's domes-
tic ports" and holds that this provision
Is essential not only for protecting the sew
eral countries from the Introduction Of
contagious diseases, but as an act of JUS
tice to the crews and passengers of an in