New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-11

ourselves Europe has been looking TO US Iof "'e''
cal assistance This evidenced by inc i"e'
that Austria requested many gallons oi ''"'1'
antitoxin at the outbreak Of the war
The active precautions taken at Quarantine
against an outbreak Of Asiatic cholera would IN
deed seem to be sufficient safeguard for TINS port
Everv vessel coming from an infected port IS
subjected 20 the closest examination. Inquiries are
made concerning all minor ailments reported our
ing the course Of the voyage. In all cases "here
there is the slightest possibility that such d"
ailment could be cholera meteorological tests are
made During these tests the ships company ~
detained.
In case the tests prove the presence OF cholera
germs departure is forbidden until an eXamiha-
ton has been made of every passenger Suspected
passengers are confined at Hoffman lslahd ana
kent there until there is favorable bacteriologi
cal report upon their cases, when they are sepa
,,telv DISCHARGED This period Of detention -
sometimes three to four days, and sometimes
longer. depending on the length of time required
by the doctors to complete the examinations
which not infrequently keep them working night
and day. The detention period Tor III persons VINO
are suspected is five days, at least.
II the cholera develops among the suspects the
cases are transferred TO the isolation camp on
Hoffman Island, and later to Swinburne Island
where they are cared for. The ship IS held ten
days in every instance It is washed down with
germicde. Staterooms, cabins and living quarters
are fumigated, water tanks are emptied and dis
infected if there is reason to fear that they may
have been responsible for the outbreak OF the
disease Food coming from the infected region Is
destroyed and china, glassware and crockery that
have been used by suspects are boiled. Quaran-
tine officers are forbidden to eat, drink or smoke
while in the discharge of their duties aboard the
infected vessels When suspects have been held
but there is no evidence Of general infection
among the passengers belief that the ship
itself has been the cause Of the disease, the first
cabin passengers are usually discharged, although
the Quarantine officers have ample authority to
hold them. The first cabin contingent are given
privileges over the immigrants because they are
less likely to have exposed themselves 10 the
disease in the first place, and are far more likely,
the other hand, to report any allment to some
good physician upon its initial symptoms. Even If
one or two scattered of cholera should ap-
pear in this city, particularly where prompt care
is given the danger Of an epidemic would be slight
THE CARRIERS" OF CHOLERA GERMS
SOURCE OF MENACE
The greatest danger Of a spread Of cholera
comes from source that prior to the bacteria
logical test installed three years ago poser
to the Quarantine officials namely, the presence
Of Carriers" who, like Typhoid Mary" Of recent
fame, carry the germs by the billion and transmit
the disease without suffering from it themselves.
Sometimes these carriers present mild cases OF
cholera which do not make their appearance for
many days after the ordinary period Of detention
has elapsed Five days is considered long enough
for the development Of all typical cases but there
are records which were studied at Quarantine
where sixteen TO seventeen days were required
for the germs TO come to maturity.
1T must therefore be fully appreciated" says
the monthly bulletin Of the Board of Health, that
Quarantine cannot offer full protection against
the introduction of cholera into seaports or into
the interior. An attempt to carry out such
measure would not secure the desired result
would go far toward destroying commerce, would
be impractical and not in accord with modern
sanitation chiefly for the reason that the period
Of incubation is uncertain and the existence OF
cholera carriers has been practically proven"
The Board OF Health tells that the bac-
teriologc test adopted at Quarantine three years
ago affords the best and the safest method OF
detecting cholera. BY the aggutinaton test,
and what is known "Pfeifer's phenomenon"
cholera can be distinguished from the various
diseases that show many of its symptoms such
gastro-entertis and ptomsne poisoning
These tests" read in the Health Board
Bulletin (Which has taken its notes on cholera
from the chapter that subject by Dr.. Alyah
II. DOty, former Health Officer of the Porto, zen
able to diagnose Asiatc cholera in atypcal
cases, or in those in which symptoms
whatever present, in cholera carriers.
The so-called "Cholera nostras," which Is prob
ably due TO many different causes, such fish,
meat, cheese or ice cream poisoning may present