Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-04-27
Quarantine And Commerce
In The Pacific Arena

prevention Of the ingrcss Of new in
lection. ms well as Of any Of the in
termediatc hosts thereof. Provision
could be made for guarding the low
rOrt-hUlos by wire screening, and for
the protection OF all lines running to
the dock by rat tunnels. As rats
frequently enter a ship at night over
the ordinary gang plank, the mcdi-
cal officer could enforce the raising of
the latter between sunset and sun
rise at a height Of at least six feet
from the wharf. All passengers
could be inspected before being adj
mittcd on board of the vessel. OBJ
icctiUnable foodstuns, which are OC-
CasiOnally carried by passengers. par
ticularly by Oriental steerage passen-
GERS. could be rejected. After the
cargo had been loaded into the vessel
, the circuit quarantine officer could
see that all freight matches were care.
fully battcncd down.
During the voyage there would
naturally be a daily inspection of all
persons on board This would ensure
| the detection of disease almost immo-
clatcly after it's appearance. Even
obscure loprusy might b" possible Of
detection under such careful surycil-
lance. Immediately upon the discOy-
| cry Of quarantinable disease ON board
isolation. general prophylaNis and dis
infection could be begun by the quar-
Iantinr officer. who would have q very
clear idea as to the source and prob
| able extent of the infection. and who
| would he able To carry out such quar-
Intiuc measures as would ensure the
| greatest safety to everyone on board
! and effect the least amount of delay
! and annoyance for the vessel upon
her arrival ut the next port, Homo
lulu. Upon the arrival Of the vessel
at honolulu, the circuit quarantine
officer could either pass the vessel
through quarantine by signal, after
ward rendering receipt for the ycr-
sells safety to the quarantine officer
lstatiOncd at Honolulu. or In the
event of there having been disease
ON board or some other consideration
| preventing him from thus passing the
vessel he could likewise signal IN"
fact.
Upon the arrival of the vessel at
Honolulu the same care in guarding
against infection would he exercised
and the cmbarking passengers would
hc subject to inspection before being
followed to board the vessel Thus
would the circuit quarantine officer
Keep himself posted rs to the exact
Gtatus of the vessel until the port of
destination. llongkong, was reached,
After the removal of the cargo at
HougkOng the holds and other parts
Of the vessel would be inspected, and
lif necessary disinfeCtiOn again per-
formed, although after exercising the
care described such n prCCautiOn
would probably he unnecessary. In
making preparation for the return
voyage the circuit quarantine Officer
wGLld he assisted by and could rem
der assistance to the Public Health
and Marine Hospital Officer in Hong.
kong. so that the status of the pas
scngers, cargo, water, vegetables, and
other food supplies would he known
. to him at1thc time of the vessels de-
> purturc. At the other Oriental pOrts
OF call similar assistance could be eX-
, changed with the medical officers sta
, toned In those ports. 50 that the eX'
act sanitary status of the vessel from
day to day could be determined and
this, too. without either the neCcS
. slty for deduction. or the individual
rower TO deduoe. Upon the return u
the vessel to United States ports, sh'
could he again passed by signal oD
placed in quarantine according Il
circumstances.
It Is not intended that the dut!c
luf the circuit quarantine office
should conflict with those of the shIl
Ihurgcon. The idea Is that II larg'
ocean carrier. plying between tn
disease centres of the OcCidcnt ant
Orient ON voyages lasting 60 days %
more, Is practically small llOatini
community with population varying
from 1900 to 2OO0 persons, said pop
ulation representing every degree u
society from almost every nation, an,
that such community or floating
world should have the usual healtI
officer for its protection and for tina
oi the general public.
Continued Next Saturday,