New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Laws $ to Keep
Disease Out of
u. S. Demanded
Authorities Say Nations
Health Is Menaced bv
the System at Ports Of
Entry for Immigrants
Examination Inadequate
Ellis Island Lacks Proper
Authority and Means to
Take Needed Precautions

Port health authorities nrb,;, ho.,.l
educators and legislators have become
highly concerned over the present con-
al''ohs existing at the ports of entry
TOT American immigrants Rad;oa,
changes IN the method of handling i'm
migrants. which can be brought about
only by special legislation and snn,o-
prla'ion' have been recommended to
congress by these men, who see real
pnyslcsI menace to the country in the
ptesene obsolete system of PASSING on
grants. u oui lmml-
- Under this obsolete system tho
ohlted States ports of entry for in,nlie
grants have become feeders Of disease
no t;,so .ne country. according to informa-
eioi On, recently gathered by The Tribune
Ems Island, the largest alien gateway
lileo the United States, handling an av-
rsss poiti, OF 1000 immigrants daily, has
E1-olsuei EoS, proper accommodations nor
1eeeral AUTHORIZATION TO subject its
charges TO physical insnections ,r.;os ~,
( "oNlo guarantee that they will nor ba-
come spresders Of disease or becor,o
ability. ''' S'e@' as
System at Ellis Island
AZ Ems Island. which is typical of
oonei ports OF entry, the immigrants
pass IN long lines before medical IN.
/ Spectors OF the United States Public
neaith Service. While these doctors
are ere hlgnly trained in detecting signs Of
ulsease' tney have but a moment to OBJ
serve each person. If the aliens bear
.ns' eolorlng, hands, face and scalp
pass inspection, he or she is free +o
pass into the United States and become
a citizen or seek asylum without fur
tner medical scrutiny. The eXamina-
'lton is entirely ocular. If there is
| some indication OF physical IRREGULAR
i ity' however. during this momentary
inspection, the immigrant is tagged
and sent to & special room for secon-
dary examination.
lt IS generally conceded among i'm
migration officials at Ellis Island that
the cursory medical examination is
menace to the general health Of the
United States, but an evll which cannot
be remedled until Congress amends or
reenacts legislation and provides proper
appropriations Tor more thorough medi-
cal attention for aliens. The present
medical staff there is composed of
about fifty doctors, not all Of whom
examine immigrants.
Among those leading il an effort to
must be brought about is Frederick A.
/ Wallis, Commissioner OF immigration,
who believes that the health Of the
country IS important enough to strip
every alien for thorough examination
even if INN grafton is retarded.
"If Ellis Island needs anything in the
world more than a new Ellis Island it
needs Federal authorization to strip, !
| bathe and examine every alien, both
physically and medically" said Com
missioner Wallis. Our present laws
are farcical. We should hand pick our
immigrants. There is no reason why
they should not undergo as thorough
health tests as our soldiers did when
they came home from the European
war. The government required that
these young fellows should go home
physically fit and in clean clothes.
Aliens arrive here with clothing which
is ready to fall to pieces. Leprosy,
tuberculosis, the first stages Of small
pox and other maladies and all the
social diseases, in both sexes. can
never be found with any thoroughness
unless the aliens are stripped and ex-
amined.
Case of Leprosy Detected
"The other day" continued the Com
missioner, "a man passed in the in
spection line who caught the eye of one
Of the doctors. The inspector thought
his skin was slightly discolored. The
immigrant insisted he was in fine
shape. After much speculation the man
was taken out of the line for secondary
examination. He was stripped down to
his shoes and stockings and he ap-
clan was still suspicious and ordered
the man to show his feet. He was suf-
fering from leprosy. Three toes were
gone"
The commissioner explained that the
man was deported, but said his case
was typical of class of aliens who try
to crowd their way into the country.
'If it requires forty eight hours to
examine one immigrant, or forty eight
days said Mr.. Wallis, ut would be
better than to let him into the country
IN a diseased condition."
DR.. Joseph roadman, editor Of The
Modern Health Advocate, q monthly
journal devoted to public health edu-
cation, recently appeared before the
House Committee on Immigration and
naturalization at Washington and told
the committee that virtually no precau
tions of value are taken at Ellis Island
to keep venereal diseases out Of this
country The physician said that the
Modern Health Society, which he rep
resented, wRs Interested in the subject
and he had made personal visit to the
clan said that if an immigrants ex-
ternal appearance, as he walked by the
INN grafton examiner, did not disclose
any evidence of social disease that
ended the medical precautions.
General +. H. Creel, assistant sur
geon and brother of George Creel, tes
tifying before the House lmm igratior
Committee at the same time DR..
Broadman appeared, admitted that VEN
erla inspections at Ellis Island were
inadequate He told the committee that
to give medical examination to detect
90 per cent of incoming venerals would
require the expenditure of about $780,
600 to provide 200 medical examiners,
as against forty-two now employed and, !
in addition, expenses for doubling or
treblng the facilities at Ellis Island.
Doubts Widespread Disease
Dr. J. w Kerr, chief of the staff of
medical examiners at Ellis Island, told
The Tribune he doubted charges which
had been made that social diseases were
highly prevalent among incoming i'm
migrants due to conditions arising from
the European war. There was ais
some doubt as to the prabicability OF
examining all aliens.
You cannot herd women, for ex-
ample" said the doctor, into q com