The New York herald., 1921-02-11
ALL TYPHUS ZONE
LINERS BARRED AS
.PLAGUEPERILSCITY
80 Cases in Week Bring US.
and State Aid in Safe
guarding Port.
APPEAL TO PRESIDENT
20 Disease Victims Found
Yesterday in Italian
Ship Held Up.
MENACE AFFECTS NATION
II Day Detention and Clean
Bill of Every Ship Is Cope
land Demand.
MENACE AFFECTS NATION

Fear that the scourge of typhus
will be carried TO this country by un-
cleansed immigrants travelling in in
fected ships from southern Europe
spurred Federal, State and city health
officials to positive action yesterday.
The discovery that immigrant ships
have brought to this port within a
week thirty-five cases OF the dreaded
plague and that there appears to be
no adequate inspection of departing
emigrants in the ports of Trieste
and Naples, from which thousands OF
potential citizens are sailing for Amer
lea every week, prompted the follow
ing action:
DR.. Leland r. Cofer, Health Officer
of the Port, ordered the Italian steam
ship San Giusto to remain at anchor
off Quarantine until sufficient time has
elapsed to disclose whether her 1875
passengers have been infected as the
result Of twenty cases of typhus the
San Giusto brought to port yesterday.
Other steamships incoming from the
typhus infected regions of Europe
will be held similarly at Quarantine
until it can be ascertained positively
that infection does not exist.
DR.. Royal S. Copeland, Health Com
missioner OF the city, acting IN coopera-
ton with the Health Officer OF the
/ NJ oh N from
the typhus regions Of Europe Will be
permitted to come to a pier in the city
without clean bill Of health.
Appeal 20 President.
Also. DR.. Copeland telegraphed TO
Joseph r. Tumulty, secretary to the
President. that the situation was OF such
grave concern that the President should
use his authority under the quarantine
laws of 1898 to bar all aliens arriving
from infected regions. Mr.. Tumulty re-
piled last night that he would take UP
the request and communicate his answer
to DR.. Copelsnd later.
Surgeon General Cumming, OF the
United States Public Health Service, MS
attention called to the threatening situ-
alton at this port telegraphed TO the
Health Officer OF the Port that he VIII
either come here at once for a CONFER
cnce on ways and means OF shutting port
doors against typhus and other dreaded
diseases or will send as his representa-
tive the Assistant Surgeon General, Dr.
X. II. Creel
Both DR.. Cofer and Dr. Copeland
were Of opinion last night that the
plague peril can be taken In hand now
with proper cooperation among Federal,
state and city authorities. but that II IL
is neglected or incompetently handled
there is positive danger OF q typhus
epidemic in the Unfed States. All cor
rective action must be taken by the
American authorities, IL Is recognized,
as there appears to be no Inspection sys-
tenn worthy OF the name In the European
ports through which typhus cases are
filtering to New York.
warning to Europe.
Steamship companies booking emil
grants at Trieste, Naples and other
ports will be warned by the. health
authorities here that they will be wise
to exercise the utmost vigilance on
their own account as otherwise they
will be subjected to the staggering ex-
pense of maintaining shiploads OF inlmi-
grants held at quarantine aboard ships.
In the case of the San Giusto, for ex-
ample, the Cosulich line will be put to
heavy expense to feed the nearly 1,4OO
immigrants who must be held for twelve
days.
When Health Officer Cofer boarded
the San Giusto, formerly the FNerst Bis
marck of the Hamburg American Line
and allotted to Italy, he found that there
we're twenty cases OF typhus among the
Immigrants, who had boarded the vessel
Nj fhTRA
persons had died at sea. He was told
that the cause Of death in the three
instances was malnutrition and exhaus-
ton. but suspecting that typhus had
preceded these conditions he made q
rigid inspection OF the shipload. The
result was the discovery OF twenty
actual cases OF typhus. DR.. Cofer trans
ferred these sick persons to HOFFMAN
Island. Most OF the sick are women
and there is one child infected.
Hoffman Island is too crowded these
days to accommodate great numbers OF
immigrants under quarantine and obser-
vation. so the 1875 remaining pas
sengers Of the Italian vessel were
ordered 70 remain aboard for a twelve
day period. the length OF time IL requires
for the typhus germ to germinate.
/ DR.. Cofer had been spprehensive pre-.
viously because of the discovery thal
nfteen cases OF typhus we're brought &c
this port by the Presidente Wilson
which arrived n week ago. Three o.
these cases, incorrectly diagnosed al
pneumonia cases. were permitted to ge
ashore. two of them being sent TO thu
! Kings County Hospital. The hospita
authorities, not being satisfied with th'
/ appearance OF things, notiacd Dr. Cope
! land who made new diagnosis, which
/ exposed typhus.
Telegram 20 President.
Hearing OF the san Giusto ritua tion
I the Health Commissioner sent TO Presi
dent Wilson the following telegram ant
appeal:
/ "I am much concerned over admission
/ into this country OF aliens infected viii
! typhus fever. Steamship Presidcnt'
/ Wilson brought ffteen cases. Three o
I them landed In New York city thi'
I morning. Tho San Giusto arrived
with twenty cases OF typhus aboard
with the report Of three deaths on thu
voyage.