New-York tribune., 1921-02-12
u. S. and City
J DIN Forces TO
Fight g TypInlls
Thirty four Cases Found
Here in Last Few Days
Lead to Drastic Precau-
tions Against the Malady
Ports Abroad Guarded
DIR. Copeland Gets Permit
to Examine Passengers
ON All Arriving Ships

The situation arising from the dis
covery of thirty-four cases of typhus
fever among newly arrived immigrants
in the last few days resulted yesterday
in the adoption Of sweeping measures
by local, state and Federal health au-
thorities, as we'll as by the steamship
lines, to check at the outset possible
spread Of the malady in this country
First among these measures was the
action of Hugh S. Cumming, Surgeon
General Of the United States, in cabling
American consuls at typhus infected
ports of Europe to withhold bills of
health Of ships about to sail for this
country from those affected areas un-
less American requirements were fully
complied with, and in directing num-
Der of trained men on the United
States Public Health Service staff at
Boston to come here and assist in the
work of the local port authorities.
DR.. Copeland Asked Aid
News of the foregoing action was
communicated to DR.. Royal S. Cope
land, Health Commissioner of the city,
over the telephone last night, and was
in response to request of the com
missioner, made February by letter to
DR.. Cumming, for Federal assistance in
coping with the local situation.
DR.. Cumming also informed DR..
Copeland that he had cabled a repre-
sentative of the United States health
service in Europe to proceed to Trieste
and report on the need for any reme-
dial steps that could be taken at that
port, which is the most affected of all
European embarkation points. Steam
ship companies were notified of the
governments intention to exercise the
strictest supervision over incoming
ships and their passengers.
simultaneously Commissioner Cope
land obtained permission from Commits
sioner of immigration Frederick A.
Wallis and the surgeon general for the
city health department to conduct an
independent examination and inspec-
tion of arriving steamship passengers
and their immediate effects.
Beginning this morning the Health
Commissioner will post force of dag
nosticians, inspectors and clerks at
each pier or anchorage point to meet
incoming ships. The clerks duty will
be to ascertain the exact destination
of the passengers, with a view TO
enabling the health authorities to fol-
low them up and watch for signs of
belated development Of typhus fever.
The following additional steps were
taken during the day to prevent the
disease from gaining foothold in this
and surrounding ports:
The Health Department warned the
steamship lines that section of the
Sanitary Code would be enforced which
makes it mandatory upon ships arriv~
ing from infected ports or liable to
quarantine to obtain before coming
within 300 yards of a dock or pier a
landing permit from the Department of
Health.
Other sections of the Sanitary Code,
concerning the removal Of persons i'll
with an infectious disease without
permit and the removal of persons and
articles exposed to infectious disease
alSp without permit. likewise will be
enforced. Penalty for violation of
these sections is $500 fine or a year
in prison.
The Health Department asked the
international Steamship Conference for
its cooperation in obtaining the infor-
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