The New York herald., 1921-02-20
TWO REMEDIES SEEN
Improve Quarantine Condi-
tiOns or Bar immigration,
Commissioner Says.
ELLIS ISLAND DEFENDED
Surgeon-General Puts RespOn-
sibility Squarely on Quar-
antine Officials.

Henry Ford. through his newspa per
the Dearborn Independent, telegra phed
Health Commissioner Copeland yes
terday TO let him know what inter
ests" are hindering his fight to keep
typhus out of the United States and
what he wants done.
will you please wire us statement
at any length on the situation result
ing from unrestricted immigration"
the message stated What threatens
for the future? What steps should be
taken? The gravity Of the situation in
our opinion demands outspoken dec
laration of Causes
Commissioner Copeland replied to
the effect that one Of two things must
be done at once: either an embargo
placed on immigration or quarantine
conditions Immediately improved.
Every Immigrant n Menace.
Having come from Europe so re-
Gently" DR.. Copeland said. land hav-
ing observed at first hand the suffer-
ings Of the peoples there. / cannot
bring myself to the conviction that
an absolute embargo should be placed
on immigration. Except as a last re-
sort it is not my desire TO deny Eu-
ropean peasants the right of asylum
here.
Nevertheless, so long as quarantine
conditions in these Eastern ports con-
tinue as inefficient as at present 1t
must be admitted that every immi-
grant coming from an infected port is
a menace to the health Of our people.
"It is NOT enough for quarantine If
ticers to inspect the passengers OF steam
ships with the view Of determining at
that particular moment II there Is any
infectious disease on board. A truly ef-
fective quarantine examination would go
further--it would determine whether or
not there are possible carriers Of infec-
tious diseases on the ship.
This would mean as regards typhus
that every vermin infested person would
be regarded with suspicion. If every
person from suspected areas entering
an American port is disrobed. delousel
and equipped with clean clothing the
dkser Of typhus will disappear at once"
ellis Island Clean"
Indignant denial OF DR.. Copeland
charge that Ellis Island is unclean and
immigrants become infested with YER
min there was made yesterday by Byron
K. Uhl. Deputy Commissioners of Imri!-
81. a ,t,,iu uCtT evil
Wallis had not returned from Washing
ton.
"The conditions at the immigration
station on Ellis Island are satisfactory.
Mir. Uhl said. THE island is absolutely
cl n. The report that immigrants off
the Adratic became infested here is a
damnable lie, and you can quote me as
saying so.
'''The newspapers are inaccurate In
their reports about the typhus situation.
particularly as to the three cases discov-
cred at Cortland, y. Y. Printed reports
stated the cases were children who were
admitted January 5. Our records show
The only immigrants bound for Cortland
who have passed through Ellis Island
since that date were three adults
The inspection of immigrants arriving
from Ellis Island and by train from Bos-
ton continued and 901 persons were ex-
amlned. Fifty-three wereoheld UP rs
possible typhus carriers. One suspected
typhus case was found. but physicians OF
tic Health Department disagreed as TO
tic diagnosis. DR.. William l.. Somerset
thought II was late measles: Or. Isaac
smith Of the Brooklyn district said it
was typhus. Tho victim is Jack Lansa-
lotto. years old. who arrived February
2 from Italy. He is in Kingston Ave-
nue. Hospital.