IMMlGBATIOy AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 235 



Germans and Hebrews. The statement is made in some text-books 

 that trachoma is prevalent among the Irish. Observation of immi- 

 grants shows that this statement is not true. There is less trachoma 

 among the Irish than any other race of immigrants. The table given 

 below indicates the ratio in which this disease was found among the 

 immigrants landed in 1902. 



Faviis for several years has been included in the list of excluded 

 diseases. If the disease had existed for any length of time, it is, of 

 course, easily detected by the loss of hair and changed character of 

 the individual hairs and the scalp, but in cases of recent origin de- 

 tection is often dillicult because of shrewd efforts at concealment. The 

 immigrants are often prepared for inspection, the tell-tale yellow crusts 

 carefully removed and the scalp cleansed. 



Tuberculosis of the lungs is rarely found among immigrants on 

 arrival. Thousands of immigrants are examined whose poor physique 

 suggests to the medical examiner the possible existence of tuberculosis, 

 but out of the many thousands thus examined at Ellis Island last year, 

 only fifteen cases were certified as suft'ering from tul^erculosis of the 

 lungs. 



This apparent freedom from tuberculosis is partly explained by the 

 fact that tubercular diseases are notoriously diseases of the cities, while 

 the bulk of our immigration comes from the agricultural communities 

 and small towns. The remarkable prevalence of tuberculosis among 

 recently landed immigrants is the effect of horriljle over crowding in 

 infected, filthy tenements l)y immigrants whose poor physique makes 

 them ready prey for communicable disease. In addition to the horrible 

 congestion of the tenements, the insufficient food and insufficient fuel 

 and clothing, especially among immigrants from Mediterranean coun- 

 tries, must be considered as factors in the development of tuberculosis. 



The danger to the public health from immigrants suffering from 

 communicable disease is at present comparatively slight. The United 

 States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service is charged by law 

 with the medical inspection of all incoming aliens at ports of the 



