The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-12
Next to Plague Now
Threatens United States.
Are Million Cases Now in
European Nations 4
must PUT up BARS NOW
AII Incoming Steamer Passen-
gers Ordered Examined.
Public Health Service Organ
ICES to Protect Americans.

New York. Feb. 12.-The greatest
menace confronting the United States
today is the possibility of a typhus
plague. according to DR.. Royal S.
Copeland, health commissioner of New
York City. The disease is being kept
out of the country and so far the only
known cases are those of immigrants
detained on an island in New York
bay.
The danger is very real. Copeland
said in an interview with the United
Press today, unless federal, state and
port authorities cooperate immedi-
ately in combating the influx of i'm
migrants from the typhus infected
districts of Europe.
Examine All Incomers.
Following his recommendation to
President Wilson that all immigration
from the disease ravaged areas be
stopped, Doctor Copeland issued an
order requiring all transatlantic pas
sengers arriving here to pass a rigor-
Gus health examination before admis-
sion. This became effective today.
Similar action was taken by the New
Jersey health authorities in this port.
IF typhus were permitted to get a
foothold in New York. the entire coun-
try would be exposed to the greatest
plague in its history, a situation beside
which our recent influenza epidemics
would be nothing" Doctor Copeland
said. Va. .. n,,,.
Next to the bubonic plague, typhus
is the most dangerous communicable
disease known. The death rate ranges
from 20 to so per cent; that of influ-
enza is negligible in comparison
Should typhus get a start in this con-
ID iG ID
would claim a million victims before
it was curbed. 1t would sweep across
the country like a gigantic prairie fire
Industry and social life would be para
lyzed, The country would become a
| huge desert. One might estimate the
possible deaths by the fact that typhus
! has claimed six million in Russia alone
! in the last, few months.
Can Be Kept Out.
4 THE common carrier of the disease
is the typhus louise. But once the
| disease becomes epidemic, it appears
/ to be communicable by almost any
/ means.
I'VE can avert the possibility of such
a calamity Detailing the country if we
get together and stop this flood of i'm
! migration from central and southern
| Europe. Such a step, together with
| ordinary sanitary precautions, would
| eliminate the danger we now face"
| Frederick A. Wallis, Immigration
commissioner for New York, endorsed
Doctor Copeland's recommendation
and health measures, urging ever
more exacting precautions.
Must Delouse Everyone.
I'VE should compel every immigran,
| to undergo the same delousing precau-
tions as did our soldiers when they re.
! turned from Europe" Wallis said.
| The latest official reports showed
thirty-four cases of typhus on newly
arrived steamers from Europe. all ot
which have been segregated Attic
the federal government has refused to
embargo all immigration, as requested
by Doctor Copeland, the New YORK
City health authorities announced they
will not permit passengers to land un.
til they have proven themselves unin-
fected and will hold all steerage pas
| sengers until the steamship companies
themselves have deloused them.
| Liners Are Reroutcd.
This caused the liners Nieuw Am
sterdam, Finland and Mount Clay
which are at sea, to be ordered by
wireless to change their course to Bos
| ton. Steerage passengers of the Duca
d'Oatsa. Ryndam and Lapland were
| still held on those ships at their docks
here today, there being no room fol
| them to land at Ellis Island.
The liners Providence and Sar
Guisto were lying off Hoffman Island
| waiting for their immigrants to be de
| loused and examined there before pro
| ceeding to dock.
| Big Battle Now On.
/ Washington. Feb. 12.-Surgeon Gen
eral Hugh Cumming today predicted
/ the public health service would sue
ceed in preventing any spread of Eu
ropes typhus epidemic in this country
Without proper precautions there
would be real danger of such a spread
/ he said. More than twenty passenger,
were found to be infected with the dis
ease when their ship docked at New
York several days ago.
Million Cases in Europe.
| European physicians recently esti-
mated that there are one million cases
| of typhus, cholera and other epidemic
diseases in Poland and surrounding