178 MICaiGAN ACADEMy OF SCIENCE. 



diseases. A large number of replies were soon received which showed a 

 widespread interest among the people, and a commendable effort upon the 

 part of the local health authorities to have every means employed to pre- 

 vent the spread of dangerous communicable diseases. 



Dissemination of Information. 



From May 6, 1882, to October 1, 1882, about 11,500 copies of the small- 

 pox document in the English language were distributed through the State. 

 Also papers on "How to Combat Smallpox," "The Ambulance Hospital for 

 Smallpox," and "Vaccination : Jenner vs. Bergh," were read at sanitary 

 conventions held at Ann Arbor and Greenville, which were afterwards 

 printed in pamphlet form and quite widely distributed. 



Inspection of Immigrants. 



In May 1882 a conference of representatives of the National Board of 

 Health and of several state and local boards of health, was held at Port 

 Huron, which resulted in the establishing of a system of inspection of 

 immigrants at Port Huron and Detroit. The inspection began June 1, 

 1882, and continued at Detroit until December 15, 1882, and at Port 

 Huron until May 31, 1883. The inspectors were placed under the super- 

 vision of the secretary of the State Board of Health, and the law and 

 regulations inaugurated related to smallpox and the vaccination of immi- 

 grants. During the time the inspection was in effect over 83,000 immi- 

 grants were inspected and over 20,000 vaccinations were performed. A 

 total of 251 persons sick on train or boat were found, and that more cases 

 of smallpox were not found by the inspectors does not indicate that the 

 inspection was not needed. Before the inspection began smallpox was 

 known to hav<; been introduced, and the fact that inspections were en- 

 forced doubtless was a check on the forwarding of persons sick with small- 

 pox. A fact established by the inspection was that it was not enough 

 that the immigrant should be protected against smallpox by vaccination, 

 but he should be prevented from conveying the contagium of the disease 

 to others, if he had been exposed to smallpox at the port of departure or 

 entry, or on board ship; even though himself protected by vaccination or 

 a previous attack, only a thorough disinfection of his clothing and bag- 

 gage could, with certainty, guard against his communicating the disease 

 to others and render him a clean and desirable immigrant. 



'e' 



Danfjcr of Introduction of Smallpox. 



In May 1883 a circular letter was issued and sent to officers and mem- 

 bers of local boards of health calling attention to the fact that during the 

 past year over 100 outbreaks of smallpox occurred in Michigan, due to its 

 introduction by immigration and other travel; that the disease was then, 

 present in many places from which many visitors came to the various 

 delightful i>laces of summer resort in Michigan; that another source of 

 danger was in localities where lumbering was a prominent business, and 

 urging the importance of being watchful to detect the very first introduc- 

 tion of the disease, and prompt action for its restriction as soon as 

 detected. 



