EARLY QUARANTINE ARRANGEMENTS OF SALEM. 25 



boru by the town whereto he or she belongs : pr^ovided, 

 always, that this act shall not be understood to extend to 

 persons in any town where more than twenty ftimilies are 

 known to be visited with the small-pox at one and the 

 same time. 



[Sec. 3.] This act to continue for the space of ten 

 years from the publication thereof, and no longer. 

 [Passed February 2; published February 3, 1731-2.'] 



In 1737, the Province Hospital was removed from 

 Spectacle to Rainsford Island, in Boston Harbor. 



In 1739, a Provincial act which seems to have been an- 

 ticipated by the order of our selectmen touching the Mar- 

 blehead Ferry, and which was extended from time to time 

 for twenty years, provided for the regulation of Ferry- 

 ways and for the prompt reporting of strangers arriving 

 from neighboring colonies. It was as follows : 



An Act to prevent the spreading of the small-jDox or 

 other infectious sickness. 



Whereas the inhabitants of sundry towns in this prov- 

 ince are often exposed to the infection of the small-pox 

 and other malignant, contagious distempers, by persons 

 coming from the neighbouring governments visited with 

 such infectious sickness, and by goods transported hither 

 that carry infection with them, — 



Be it therefore enacted by His Excellency the Governour, 

 Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, 

 and by the authority of the same, 



[Sect. 1.] That any person or persons coming from 

 any place, in either of the neighbouring colonies or prov- 

 inces, where the small-pox or other malignant infectious 

 distemper is prevailing, into any toAvn within this prov- 

 ince, who shall not, within the space of two hours from 

 their first coming, or from the time they shall first be in- 

 formed of their duty by law, in this particular, give no- 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XIV. 2* 



