Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-23

they claim 1t would bring their lines sailing
from Italy into disrepute. The Italian
government would raise no objection 70
such an inspection, and, in fact. would
favor It.
The second cabin passage from Italy has
distinctly fallen into disrepute. owing TO
ton Of people afi1icted with disease. Are
you going to America p one Italian asker
another. IT am the other replied. Are
you going second cabin?" his friend quer'ed.
The other replied. Indignantly, mo; l nave
not trachoma'' This merely expresses the
general feeling in regard to the matter. anu
the popularity of this method OF escape
from inspection. OF course. first ana Sec
ond cabin passengers arriving In New YORK
are inspected by the American authorizes
Much latitude is given in this matter,
however: unless the people so inspected are
manifestly emigrants they are not ourcenso
with close examination.
The American medical officer stationed in
Naples has no authority to prevent the ue-
parture of an emigrant afflicted with ira
choma. He represents the marine hosrlai
corps, or quarantine service, and he can
only quarantine q vessel or case on evi-
dence of what are known as quarant.naDie
diseases All he can do Is to recommend
to the steamship company that such pas
senger be not given transportation, and he
can enforce this recommendation by nouIy-
Ing the American authorities tia. the
steamship company is taking such per
at its own risk. and to watch out -or
him and demand his return to the country
from which he came. This threat is almost
as effective as though the American Glitter
had the power to prevent the embarkaton,
for the steamship company is fined tor
bringing the deficient emigrant to America
and Is forced to take him back at its own
expense.
Other Contagious Diseases.
Diseases which are not quarantinable. but
which found among emigrants Saving
for America are classed as loathsomc, con-
tegious or disabling. Under the first classi-
fication comes a disease almost as preva-
lent as trachoma. and that is favus. a dis
ease of the skin, which generally makes
itself apparent on the scalp Favus is ex-
tremely contagious. The person afflicted
can often be fixed up so as to pass ins?ec-
ton. but the disease will reassert itself II
given the slightest opportunity.
Ccoped up in narrow quarters. unable to
exercise even the most ordinary require
ments of cleanliness, the neople Ii: emil
grant ships are all EXPOSED to wha lever
contagious disease may he found among
them. The results of such contagfoc may
not appear by the time the ship arrives in
New York. hence the most careful inspec-
tior on the part of the American immigrant
authorities would not avail in preventing
the Introduction of these diseases into the
country. For this reason medical author
tiles who have devoted years of study 70
this grave question are nsstent iii their
belief that the United States should have
a competent medical officer at every port
where emigrants embark for North Amer
lea 1t would be Impossible to give these
men authority to exclude people from de-
parting ships. but the same system could be
applied a. is now in force in Naples; for If
the steamship companies insisted upon tax
ing whose rejection had heen adj
vised by the American medical officer he
could be reached arrival in the United
States. and the steamship companies 50
heavily fined for disregardng the caution
given as to prevent repetition of the
offense
The prospect of immediate demand IL
Panama for a large amount of manual
labor has suggested a considerable move
ment of Italians IN that direction. This
has been anticipated by the government OF
&c stion of the American government, Pan
anna has already taken steps to prevent
undesirable people coming to that country.
The American medical officers abroad have
been instructed from Washington to give
the same inspection 10 all ships sailing for
Panama as they do to ships sailing for the
United States. This order has been issued
a. the request of the minister from Panama
now in Washington.
With all this undesirable prevalency of
disease among the people of Italy. 1t IS
fact that the Italian emigrant is, as rule.
a strong, healthy individual, who is readily
absorbed into the life of new country,
and does we'll in his natural sphera %
labor There is no general condemnation
Of Italians as emgrants, even by Those
who are most familiar with their defects.
but there is most earnest belief that the
people of the United States can afford
every possible preeaution in admitting the
contagious diseases of southern Europe into
their country now inha bted by the health
lest nation in the world.
j. d. WHELpLEY.