B. The detention of the well, who have been exposed to yellow fever, at the Mississippi quarantine should no longer be allowed. It is located on the banks of the Mississippi, is but a few feet above the level of the Gulf of Mexico, and is protected from the overflow of the river by levees. According to the report of Dr. Joseph Jones, the inhabitants of this region are annually liable to visitations of the malignant malarial and hemorrhagic fevers of the alluvial regions in tropical, semi-tropical and temperate countries, and these fevers are becoming more and more virulent annually, owing to the rapid increase of the acreage of rice-culture. The fear of being confined in the buildings on the quarantine grounds, owing to the danger of contracting malarial fever, is often expressed by seamen familiar with the history of those subjected to detention. C. The same objection to the lightering of infected cargoes and their storage in warehouses applies as to the care of yellow-fever patients on the main-land. Such transfer of cargoes and their subsequent disinfection must be undertaken at island warehouses if we would secure the greatest possible immunity from the spread of infection. 2. A quarantine establishment is now provided at Ship Island, having a convenient location on an uninhabited island, and fully furnished with every necessary convenience and appliance for the treatment of yellowfever patients, for the care and comfort of persons exposed to infection, for the disinfection and storage of infected cargoes, and for the immediate and thorough cleansing and purification of ships. Unsuitable as the Mississippi quarantine is for the protection of the Valley against the importation of yellow-fever infection, there has been no method of supplementing its defects until the Ship Island quarantine was established by the General Government. This quarantine fully meets all of the requirements which science and skill demand to render complete the Gulf coast defenses against the introduction of yellow fever. From the publications of the National Board of Health we learn the following facts in regard to this quarantine: Ship Island was selected for a government quarantine because: 1st. "it belonged to the United States Government." 2d. It was uninhabited. 3d. Its conformation permitted the location of the several departments so as to secure complete isolation of each from the other. 4th. It afforded safe anchorage. 5th. It was convenient to the largest extent of quarantine coast, viz: from Pensacola to the mouth of the Mississippi. 6th. The objects sought to be accomplished by this quarantine were simply co-operative with the local quarantine of the adjacent coast. It does not supersede existing local quarantine except so far as it provides all the desiderata of the quarantines of that region, in an insular location where vessels infected with yellow fever, with their passengers, crews, and cargoes, can be safely, promptly, and adequately cared for with the least possible danger of spreading the disease. This establishment is now fully equipped with every necessary appliance to give proper care and treatment to the sick of yellow fever; to isolate, with every needful comfort, those detained for observation; adequate warehouses for the storage of infected cargoes; and every necessary means for the thorough purification of ships. 3. It is alleged against this quarantine: (a) That it does not prevent the passage of infected vessels into the harbors of the coast; (b) That it is too distant from important points, as the mouth of the Mississippi; (c) That if recognized and made part of the quarantine system of the Gulf coast, it would seriously obstruct commerce. a. The Ship Island quarantine is not a station for the interception of passing vessels, but is designed solely to care for infected ships. The duty of intercepting vessels properly belongs to the local quarantines, and if vigilantly performed by them no infected ship, baggage, or cargo would hereafter ever reach the main-land of that coast. b. The distance of Ship Island from the mouths of the Mississippi is no valid argument against sending infected ships to that quarantine, in view of the absence of all suitable provisions for treating them at the Mississippi quarantine, and of the imminent danger which follows their passage up the river to that station. We must insist that a ship infected with yellow fever is contraband of quarantine, and must be completely relieved of its disability before it is allowed again to enter the ports of the Gulf. Half-way measures of purification should no longer be tolerated. c. The statement that, if infected vessels bound to New Orleans must first go to Ship Island for cleansing and disinfection, the commerce of that city would be injured, cannot be sustained by any facts. It appears from the report of Dr. Joseph Jones, President of the State Board of Health of Louisiana, that 1,271 vessels passed the Mississippi station in 1880; of these, but 151 were detained for purification, disinfection and fumigation, and of these latter but one proved to be an infected vessel. It follows that, if the quarantine officer had sent all infected vessels arriving at the Mississippi station during the year 1880 to Ship Island, but one vessel out of 1,271 would have had that destination. It is absurd, therefore, to presume that if the health authorities of the State of Louisiana were to regard the Ship Island quarantine as the proper destination for infected vessels bound for New Orleans, the foreign commerce of that city would be impaired. On the contrary, facts prove that the passage of that one vessel to the wharves of New Orleans proved a source of imminent danger to all of its inland traffic. In conclusion, your committee desires to express the firm conviction that the Ship Island quarantine meets a want of the local quarantines of that part of the Gulf coast which cannot be superseded by any amount of vigilance, nor by any stringency of rules of such quarantines. We believe, therefore, that this COUNCIL should adopt, and as far as possible secure, the enforcement of, the proposition that an officer should be stationed at Port Eads, who shall be required to send all vessels infected with yellow fever to the Ship Island quarantine. In the same connection, we would add that it is important that all of the local quarantines, from Mobile to the mouth of the Missississippi, be requested to send vessels infected with yellow fever to that quarantine. 1 In order to secure the protection which the COUNCIL seeks, it is evident from the attitude of some of the officers of the local quarantines of that section of the coast that co-operation in this plan can be secured only by the intervention of some central authority which can harmonize conflicting opinions and interests. This authority is found in the President of the United States, and it is the opinion of your committee, formed after mature deliberation, that, under the circumstances, adequate protection against the importation of yellow fever into the Mississippi Valley during the approaching season cannot be assured except by an appeal to the President to exercise jurisdiction over the quarantines of the coast. To this end your committee submits for the consideration of the COUNCIL the following resolutions: Resolved, 1. That there is good reason to believe that the infection which causes yellow fever has been exterminated from the soil of the United States by the extreme cold of the past winter, and that any future outbreak of that pestilence in this country must be due to a fresh importation from foreign countries of the infected matter which causes the disease. 2. That it is, therefore, of the greatest importance to the business interests of the country, and to the health and happiness of the people, especially of those living in districts liable to be visited by this scourge, that every avenue through which it may reach our shores be effectually guarded. 3. That, as yellow fever can reach this country from foreign ports. only through our own seaports, the maintenance of quarantine establishments on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, so organized and administered as to be most effective against the introduction of yellow fever and least obstructive to commerce and travel, is an imperative necessity. 4. That, as representatives of the public health interests of the States of the Mississippi Valley, we especially recognize the importance of a more thorough and effective organization and administion of the quarantines of the Gulf coast, and particularly of that at the mouth of the Mississippi river, the great water-way of commerce and travel for the people of the Valley. 5. That the experience of the past teaches that the quarantines of that coast, and especially that on the Lower Mississippi, cannot be relied on to prevent the introduction of yellow fever into the Valley of the Mississippi, and that therefore immediate measures should be taken to so improve their management that all the resources of science and of human skill shall be applied to prevent another invasion of yellow fever through that channel. 6. That, considering the vast social, commercial and industrial interests involved in the prevention of the introduction of yellow fever at the mouth of the Mississippi river this season, the management of that quarantine is a matter of grave National concern, and should lead to such action of the General Government as will give the greatest effectiveness to its administration. 7. That, with a view to accomplish the objects set forth in the preceding resolutions most speedily and directly, the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, respectfully, but earnestly, requested to ascertain at the earliest practicable moment whether any, and if so, what, additional rules and regulations are required to render the quarantines of the Gulf coast, and especially that at the mouth of the Mississippi river, effective in preventing the introdue tion of yellow fever into the United States; and if additional rules and regulations are required that they be immediately made and duly enforced during the approaching quarantine season. 8. That a committee, consisting of one member from each State represented in this association, be appointed, of which the President shall be the Chairman and the Secretary shall be the Secretary, to lay these resolutions before the President of the United States and to urge immediate action thereon. All of which is respectfully submitted. T. G. BIRCHETT, of Mississippi. J. J. SPEED, of Kentucky. J. M. TARBELL, of Florida. J. D. PLUNKET, of Tennessee, Chairman. THE report as read was accepted, and the resolutions were unanimously adopted by the COUNCIL. In obedience to the eighth resolu tion, the following members were appointed a committee to lay the report and the resolutions before the President of the United States, and to urge immediate action thereon: F. R. MICHEL, of Alabama. A. L. BREYSACHER, of Arkansas. S. C. COBB, of Florida. J. H. RAUCH, of Illinois, Secretary of the Committee. THAD. W. STEVENS, of Indiana. J. D. PLUNKET, of Tennessee. (President of the COUNCIL) Chairman. Dr. Pinckney Thompson, by unanimous consent, read a communication from Henry C. Haarstick, esa, superintendent of the Mississippi Valley Transportation Company, setting forth that when a boat had, or was even suspected of having, yellow fever aboard, it was found impossible to land or obtain entrance to marine hospitals. He wished some action taken on the matter. Seamen, under which term river boatmen of all classes were included, were obliged to pay hospital dues, with the understanding that when sick or disabled the Government would furnish them proper medical and surgical attention, nursing, etc. During the past three years a man with a broken leg or suffering from diarrhea or any other non-contagious disease, would be refused admission to a marine-hospital, or to the benefits for which he was taxed, if there was any suspicion of yellow fever on the river. Dr. Thompson thought the grievance well founded and hoped some expression of opinion would be had by the COUNCIL. Dr. Mitchell admitted the justice of the complaint, but objected to the charge that the River-Inspection Service of the National Board of Health was in any wise responsible for it, as the tenor of Mr. Haarstick's letter would seem to imply. The real difficulty lay in the disinclination of local authorities to run any chances of infection during the yellow-fever season. They naturally looked with suspicion and alarm on every case of sickness landed from the river in their midst at such times. He was inclined to think that some arrangement might be made whereby the River-Inspection Service could care for such patients, the charges to be defrayed by the Marine-Hospital Service. The River-Inspection stations were fully equipped, and with a proper understanding he believed the difficulty could be obviated. Dr. Thompson said some means should undoubtedly be devised to take care of these men when sick or disabled at points where the local boards of health or local authorities refused to receive them. He offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the National Board of Health and the Marine-Hospital Service be requested to take such conjoint action in the premises as will protect the health, rights and interests of the men engaged in the navigation of the Mississippi and its tributaries, a class of men who are an indispensable factor in the growth and prosperity of the Valley. Adopted. Dr. Gustave Devron, of Louisiana, Chairman of the Committee on Methods of securing Harmony and Concert of Action by State and Municipal Boards of Health in the Mississippi Valley, reported the following preamble and resolution: WHEREAS, Experience has shown that no uniformity or concert of action can be secured by the arbitrary regulations of municipal or State boards of health in arresting the spread of yellow fever; therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of this COUNCIL that the adoption by State and municipal health organizations of this Valley of the rules and regulations of the National Board of Health as published, furnishes a practical basis for harmonious action if yellow fever or other infectious or contagious disease prevail at any point tending to spread. GUSTAVE DEVRON, Chairman, on behalf of the Committee. The report was accepted and the preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted. Dr. Devron stated that he had received a telegram from the Auxiliary Sanitary Association of New Orleans, which he would like |