New-York tribune., 1901-11-07
Reform IN QUARANTINE.


It has been we'll known for some time that
Dr. Doty. who is in charge of the NeW-1 orh
Quarantine Station. regards with favor the
notion that yellow fever is transmitted Dy the
bite Of an infected mosquito, but he now utters
conviction that it is the only agency by which
people can acquire it. In the pages or Ihe
New-York Medical Record" he presents strlk-
ing array of evidence against the old and fairly
well established belief that the disease can be
communicated by contact with a victim, MS
clothing bedding excreta. DR.. Doty CITES
the testimony of physicians in charge OF TWO
institutions old Marine Hospital on Staten
Island and Bellevue Hospital. One wrote a1ter
q famous outbreak of yellow fever In 1i9S ana
the other in 1906. and both declared that, though
well persons associated constantly and closely
with the sick in the capacity of medical attehd-
ant nurse or laundress, in no instance was the
maady conveyed in that manner. Halt cen
tury later the opinion that yellow fever Is not
contag gious was expressed In resolutions aoopteu
in this CITY by congress Of santarians. Finally
DR.. Doty gives the result OF his own ohciai
experience. While yellow fever is continually
occurring on vessels coming here from spanish
America. it always breaks out within the hrst
four or five days after leaving the infected port
He declares that he has himself never discov-
cred q case where one passenger caught IT from
another although the circumstances are usually
favorable to the spread of the disease by that
agency
DR. Doty concludes that a marked chanse III
quarantine regulations is justified by these
facts He holds that people who sail from Il
place where yellow fever is known TO prevail
but who do not exhibit symptoms within nve
days should not be detained at quarantine
Nor. in his Judgment. should one person be held
r,ara1v because others on the same ship have
been attacked. DIR. Doty regards the delay
which has hitherto been demanded for such
reasons as an unnecessary hardship. Ihe fuml-
CATION of baggage and of steamship bedd1ng
wouId seem to be similarly uncalled for. Moth
ing but mosquito netting is needed, he thinks.
to check the extension of yellow fever. And he
believes that the travelling public and ship
owners ought to get the benefit OF these new
ideas Immediately Still he remarks that if
other sources of infection should be discovered
I'm the future proper restrictions may then be
adopted.
The attitude here assumed will no doubt occa-
sion some surprise Yet 1t is to be remembered
that the Health Officer OF this port has hitherto
shown himself not only wide awake. but also
level headed. His administration has been
characterized by sounu judgment and high
sense of responsibility to the community which
he has been designated 10 serve The change OF
policy which be proposes, therefore, will
provoke but little criticism. DR.. Doty perceives
that quarantine system like the tariff should
be no more oppressive than necessary. and he Is
sufficiently independent and progressive 10 dis
regard precedent when be obtains new light II
will take a year or two TO show whether his
course is wise one or not but after that inter-
val it is not unlikely that quarantine officials at
the Southern ports of this country will follow
his example