THE QUESTION OF QUARANTINE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11684, 17 March 1900, Page 8

THE QUESTION OF QUARANTINE.

10 THE EDITOR. Sik,—ln a former letter I wrote favouring he enforcement of quarautine^regulations, in lepjy to Dr Ogston, who utterly condemned them as useless. Now., general sanitary measures amUocal hygiene, which are put forward by Dr Ogston as occupying the chief position in restricting the propagation of morbid causes-, as I will endeavour to show tu-e just as useless without quarantine measures as quarantine would be without them. I will once more claim that quarantine' is not out ot date. Ido not for a moment support the system of quarantine in vogue in the fourteenth, century and subsequent times, but quarantine, carried out in the light of science, is, and always must be, or the greatest service. Ine meaning of quarantine is no longer the enforced detention for a period of 40 days hut. I take it, to comprise the various restrictive and sanitary precautions taken to prevent tne introduction and spread of any epidemic or contagious disease. Now, these measures surely must Via carried out in two way* i'jrs'tly, we must place barriers and restraints to free communication; and, secondly, at the same time make great efforts in the way Dr Ogston favours—i.e., stringent measures to prevent tne receptivity of the exposed community. Restrictive n)e.-.sn<-cs in vh-tever way carried out, have for iheii object the prevention of access of the morbid cause. Hygienic measures can only protect a ioea'ity from the r.cLion of this- caiw but ■ i'o no' prevent its introduction, in proof of this statement let me quote Dr Vamlerpost., the heal h officei of New York. He says. in speaking, of those who, like Dr Ogston,'advocate hygienic measures alone: -They overlook the fact that epidemics often invade the jnost salubrious locality, and therefore must bo combated by other measures than those winch are purely hygienic. Certainly hygiene alone cannot confer an immunity comparable to that which keeps the pe-'ilence at a distance, or at least weakens its transmissible properties. I" Britain quarantine has bean almost entirely suppressed, and sanitary measures are alone relied on, and yet liiitaui it free from epidemic contagious diseases, or practically so. But it has-yet to be proved that Britain's immunity ! is due alone to .hsse measure?. Her position, i her chmalie conditions, her distance from the ' foci of infection in the present emdemic all ' must bo taken into account. ' j In a country like Ne\* Zealand, where the I cities are not by any means in a sanitary con- ! dition, quarantine or restrictive measures are j the first necessity. * i Has it not been time and again proved t'.ar ! pbsue travels by the commercial routes? We 1 then is it not only reasonable to demand that its introduction should be prevented here, and that steps should be taken to do this by quarantine or sanitary inspection, rather than ! to trust wholly to hygienic measures, which '■ a l best are merely local in their working I What the restrictive measures to be • cm- i ployed should be is a subject which it is not i necessary here to go into. Suffice it to say. | that they should apply to passengers, their i luggage, the vessel i I self. During the en- ! forced quarantine, which need only be of short duration, fumigation, aeration, clean- ! ing. and disinfection of a thorough character '' should be applied to the vessel, \fter this ' has been done the vessel may bs admitted to | our wharves. _ The passengers should be ' thoroughly examined, their luggage fumigated. I and if after the incubation period bo mfeV ! passed over there is no suspicion of disease • pratique may be given, and the passengers allowed to land. " ° At present that is all 1 have to say with regard to quarantine regulations. I have endeavoured to show that they are not useless but are a most valuable aid in m-evontinp- the ingress of an epidemic disease in our midst. in addition to these measures let us apply all our means to place Buneclin in a condi tion which will enable her to resist'the' Wend I to minimise the dangers Ol the plague if it should by any chance get foothold on our shores. Witn stringent restrictive measures however, such a contingency should be ren^ dered impossible.—l, am, etc., . Medict/s. THtt COUNCIL OF THK CHURCHT'3 i AND OUR MILITARY'AUTHORITIES. TO THE EDITOIS. Sir,— Thp unreasonable and urwi*e deter mination shown by our military" authorities i to prevent any religious aspect being given to i the sand-oft of our contingent lias created a i feeling of profound dissatisfaction in many i minds. Tame for horse-racing, for play-acting, I tor anything and everything, necessary or | frivolous, but no time for one—just one— '• serious hour in which to acknowledge (iocl. ■ myo,;e His blessing on "our boys," and in '■ liis .same to address to them a few earnest i inspiring words ! Surely wo are not above I ho ' sample „, this regard ret us by the Home tone. it we are, does it not augur badly for tae growth among us of that .righteousness Uiat exalteth nations? And yet we are a. Llmstian community. Doubtless the emitin- ■ sent will be sent off with a hearty honest ' God bless you," even from those who -in' barring'the way to the calm and deliberate rcknowledgment of Ood which lar»? number* Llasn-e; but it will be amid hurry, flurry, and mirthful excitement. Had Die opportunity' ■Jeen for a united religious service, as it ought ' i() have been, many of the men who are making the great sacrifice would certainly haW ' Harriet! with them the remembrnnce of a ? cene md of words that would have bci=n hel^rul o them in the dark hours they will ha-o to ■ >ass through in the far-off camps and battle- j iclds. I thank you for your leader on this ! subject in this morning's issue, in which you ' nit-express the very genera] feeling o f \]; s . !- •atisfactiou the (not to use stronger terms) .mwise action of our military authorities has ! caused. Ibis is a matter in which I think all ' , vho are interested should speak out.—l am i ' lie, rp ' Dunedin, March 16.