New-York tribune., 1921-03-09
Disease. Cases
Held Here for
Deport Order
Copeland Asks Federal In
structions as to Aliens
Passed by the Authori-
ties at Ellis Island
New sCoOiie Bath Devised
Immigrants Given FIasks
Resembling Liquor, but
Containing Disinfectants

Neat little pint bottles. resembling
for all the world "hootch," but calcu-
lated to dispel typhus- breeding cootic~
rather than n foreigners thirst.grcetcd
several thousand immigrants yesterday
apon their arrival at Quarantine. Tho
contents were concoction of kerosene
md other disinfectants, which. cmptied
into one bathtubful of water, are guar
antced to make the immigrant hygien~
really mt TO enter the country's gates.
There were many signs OF disap-
polntmcNt when the newcomers found
that instead Of cncountcrlng uneN
Pected hospitality they had bumped
into the latest device for barring ty-
lhns carriers. Port health authorities
evolved the new method Of guarding
against alien diseases.
In line with the continued efforts of
both port and city health officials to
prevent the admission Of vcrmin-
infested Immigrants until they can be
properly clcansed. Dr. Royal s. Cope
land, City Health Commi ssioner. wrote
yesterday to Anthony Caminetti Com
missioner General OF immigration, re-
garding the finding OF cases of typhus.
scarlct fever, chickenpox and blood
diseases among immigrants passed by
the ElllS Island authorities.
The Health Commissioner wrote that
some of these cases were subject TO
deportation and We're being held hera
subject TO Instructions from Wash
ington.
The Health Commissioner also sent a
communication to Surgeon General
Cumming of the Public Health Service
telling of the finding of Jacob Lilling,
hungarian immigrant, who came here
by way of Philadelphia. suffering from
typhus fever. DR.. Copeland asked the
surgeon general how it happened that
the Federal officers at Philadelphia had
allowed q wcll-dcveloped case of typhus
to enter the country.
DR.. Copeland said ifty-four third
class passengers from the steam ship
Hochambeau, who arrived in New York
from Philadelphia at about the same
time as 1illing, VINO is in the willard
Parker Hospital, were being followed
up by inspectors of the Health Depart
ment, to make sure that no other cases
would result from that source.
a total Of 1852 immigrants we're cx-
amined by the health forces Of the
city yesterday. five Of whom were
found TO have vermin. None of those
found infested came from Ellis Island
but from other ports via the Pennsyl-
vania and the New York New Haven &
Hartford railroads.
The Public Health COMMITTEES Of the
New York Academy Of Medicine nade
public & report yesterday. in which
the typhus danger is discussed a,
length and certain recommends tons are
made.
he report says. in part:
no imminent danger Of the sprcaG
+ of typhus fever exists Nevertheless
no effort should be ahated on the part
of the Federal and local health authori.
ties to minimize the possibility Of the
Introduction and spread Of the disease
"Becaus" Of the existence Of the ell.
demlc type Of tyDhus fever in this city
II tor no other reason. the efforts OF
the city Health Department should b.
directed toward The elimination o.
pedlculosis, from which considerabl.
PORTION Of the city population suffers
, ne reports Of school inspections SHOW
mat every year over 200 900 children
are found 10 be infested with licc. The
weekly bulletin Of the Department o.
Health of this city Of April ). 1919
states that it is regarded as remarkable
"hen the graduating class at the cus
OF the last term of public school in thi.
city had not over 10 per cent Of il
members infested with lice. This re
Meets the home conditions obtaining il
certain sections OF the city. 1t woul,
seem, therefore, that no effort shout,
be spared to rid our own population o
the extensive prevalence Of pediculo
sis