Protection From Infection--immigrants

At a meeting of representatives of the national, state and local Boards of Health, in Port Huron, May 18, Dr. Baker called the body to order, whereupon Dr. Leroy Parker was made chairman. The meeting was characterized by a large attendance of physicians and men interested in sanitary questions, and by interesting discussions of questions important to public health. Regarding the present movement for a santtary inspection of immigrants passing from the seaboard westward, Dr. Smith said it had grown out of a meeting of health oilicers held in Chicago a year ago. There was a period when no deaths from small-pox were reported in the United States. At that time immigration from Europe was very light ; but as immigration increased small-pex increased, showing that the disease was easily stamped out except when it was constantly imported. Formerly, also, when the rate of ocean travel was slower, immigrants taking passage from Europe with the seeds of the disease in their systems developed it so far before reaching this country that tnev were stopped at the board quarantine. With the present rapid rate of ocean travel this is all changed, and not infrequently persons who have been exposed before tdking passage in Europe arrive at their destination in the West before the diseaseis so far developed as to show its true character. The present law requires the National Board of Health to deal only with those in whom the disease is fully developed, and attempts to prevent persons from going forward who are not known to be protected have failed. The trouble is now with unprotected emmigrants. The health offlcers of Chigo, where 800 cases of small-pox have been treated the present year, say that the disease will prevail there constantly as long as immigrants are arriving who are unprotected by vaccination. Many of those who now come are unvaccinated. A proof of the protection f urnished by vaccination is the fact that notwilhstanding the constant prevalence of the disease in Chicago, there are not six cases a year among school children, all of whom are vaccinated. The plans adopted by the Chicago vention provide for a sys tem oí ïnspection and suryellance from the time the immigrants take passage ia Europe up to the time they leave the seaboard. Dr. Smith feit certain that if a system of inland inspection could be maintained, the spread of small-pox in the United States by immigrants, could be almost entirely prevented. Port Huron, next to New York, is the most important point of entry of immigrants into the United States, and will probably receive 120,000 during the present year. One object of the present meeting is to organizo here a system of inspection similar to that no w in force in New York. In this the cooperation of the Canadiau authorities is sought, as much of the small-pox received in the United States comes from or through Canada. Dr. Farqubarson, secretary of the Iowa State Board of Health, said smallpox had been introduced at 20 to 30 places in Iowa during the past year, all coming from or through Chicago. Immigrants hadarrived at Chicago recently on the Chicago & Grand Trunk way, and had proeeeded westward on the Chicago & Rock Island without inspection. He thought if the inspection was made thorough in Chicago none would be necessary in Iowa. Dr. Baker said anything would be an improvement on the present system. As it is now immigrants passing through Michigan take the infection with them, and it afterwards comea back from the West. There is no system of inspection at Port Huron, and one should be adopted. It should not be too elabórate, nor undertake too much at flrst. Health officers should have power to take charge of suspecte and either stop them or isolate them on the train. He thought it important to inquire and decide where infection could best be dono. Could it be done in baggage or freight cars while in transit? Mr. Charleaworth, representing the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad, being called for, aaid he had not given the matter enough consideration to be prepared with an answer. On nis road no deflnlte instructions were given regarding the treatment of smallpox cases when discovered, but much was left to the intelligent action of conductors. Sorne time since a man had been found on a westward bound train sick with small-pox, when the train was a short distance east of Toledo. The conductor at once telegraphed to the health officer of that city, and when the train arrived there the man was placed in his charge and cared for. Dr. French asked if it was proper for a conductor to put a person suffering from small-pox off the train at the flrst station after his condition was di3cov ered, or should he be isolated and taken to a point where proper provisión for the care of patients had been provided? Small towns generally have no such provisions. He would like to have the question discussed. Dr. Lyster of Detroit, a metnber of the State Board of Health, being called for as a representativo of the Great Western Eailway, said he had beeu requested by the superintendent of the company to give his (the superintendent's) views on the subject, but these views might not agree with his own. The superintendent said that immigrants traveling on their road had passed through quarantine at Boston or New York, and did not require inspecrion at Detroit. He did not think Port Huron could be fairly asked to care for cases of small-pox dropped from immigrant trains in transit Thisisa national matter. If cases should be cared for in Port Hufci the national or state government should pay for it, and the pest-house should be two miles ojt of the city. He thought cases of smallpox discovered in the cars should be cared for at the nearest convenient station. Dr. Baker thought it prope for the national government to take care of immigrants having the small-pox. Dr. Smith said the National Board of Health had power to erect temporary quarautine buildings. Dr. H. E. Mills asked Judge Mitchell what the legal aspects of the case were. Has a local health officer the right to take a patiënt off the cars, or to prevent him from setting off? Judge Mifchell had never thonght of the matter, but doubted if any such legal power now existed. He thought laws would have to be made covering the case. He thought rules uado in Michigan should also to apply to roads south of Lake Erie Dr. Ashmun, chairman of a cominittee to prepare a plan for inspection, after recess reported the following resolutions : Resolved, That we deena it important that a system of immigration inspection shall be immediately inaugurated, which shall apply to all trunk lmes of railroads carrying imtnigrants, to prevent the introduction of smaïl-pox into the United States and from one state into another. Resolved, That th8 National Board of Health be requested to erect or otherwise provide and f urnish on the borders of states, as may be required, such temporary buildings as may be necessary, and provide for the care and inaintenance of persons on emigrant trains suffering from small-pox whea committed to these hospitals. Resolved, That, inasmuch as a considerable number of the iinmigrants coming into the United States or passing through them, necessarily travel through the Dominion of Canada, we do cordially invite the co-operation or the Canadian authorities in inaugurating a system of inspection of such immigrants in order to prevent, as far as possible, the spread of small-pox. Resolved, That this conference commend the action of such transportaron companies as have established a systeüi of inspection and the issuing of protection cards, and earnestly request all other steamship companies engagecl in transportation to co-operate with local and other inspectora of emigrants in transit as a means of suppressing the spread of small-pox. Resolved, That it is desirable that this system of immigrant inspection shall begin generally throughout the country by June 1, 1882.