Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-12-09
THOSE GUARANTEED
MUST Be AMUSED
Entertainment for Persons De-
tanned at United States Quar-
"antine Stations.

Washington, Dec. S.-The United
States Public Health Service, in its
conduct of the many national quar-
antine stations under it's control, has
o number Of tasks imposed upon 1t
incident to the reception, not to say
entertainment, Of persons who may
be detained in quarantine during the
period Of incubation of the disease for
which they have been removed from
vessels. The periods of detention
vary as follows: For cholera, ) days;
for yellow fever, E days; for plague,
I days; for smallpox, IA days.
Not only do the cabin passengers
expect comfortable and clean quarters
and wholesome food, in a variety
somewhat like that they have been
Storage passengers expect as many,
if not more, comforts than they have
had during the voyage, so that tho
medical officer of the Public Health
Service IS forced to learn the arts
and wiles of the Boniface, and some
Of his success as a quarantine officer
will depend upon his reputation along
these lines. The Public Health Serv-
ice, therefore, has been encouraging
any attempts on the part of its quar-
antine officers to provide croquet and
quot grounds, gymnasium, baseball
fields and we tennis courts for the
amusement of persons in detention.
While these mean OF ordinary Ell
tertainment are usually sufficient for
cabin passengers, they will not prove
to be so in the case of the steerage
passengers, particularly when the lat.
ter are from the various parts of the
Orient. These persons, not being IA
miliar with any of the games above
mentioned, must either be taught
games Oh the spot, or else must be
amused in, some other way, so that
frequently at quarantine stations, in
the afternoons, one will see the steer
age passengers assembled in an Or
derby manner around a hollow square.
Various persons are singled out to
exhibit feats, sleight of hand tricks,
or other performances. Prizes are
contributed, either by the personnel
Of the station or else by popular sub
scription from the assembled passen-
gers.
That Tug o. War.
An amusing incident is recalled,
which almost promised to end in in
ternational complications, when, al
ter several afternoons of imprOmptu
amateur performances, it was found
that the imported talent had been eX-
pended, and it vas incumbent upon
the medical officer in charge to pro
vide some new form of amusement.
ed upon, ten representatives from
each Of two nations selected, a rope
provided, chalk line arranged, and
finally the signal given for the strrg-
gle to commence. In a few moments
the first two out Of three events prov.
ed to be decidedly to the advantage OF
one of the nati0nalities concerned,
which so Infatuated the relatives and
friends of the defeated nation that
they at once decided to show their SUI
periority in another way. According
ly, without warning, they caused a
pile of unused bTickbats to melt as il
it had been ice cream in the sum-, for
suddenly the whole air seemed to be
filled with these brickbats, causing
everyone to beat a hasty retreat. This,
of course, put an end for the time be-
ing to the afternoons entertainment.
The victors in the tug Of war would
probably have made a creditable show
ing on their own account in throwing
brickbats had the defeated team and
their friends left any Of them avail
able for the purpose.
The medical officer in charge gave