248 



THE BIOLOGY OF DISEASE 



specific disease and the laws of the town or state in which 

 the persons reside. 



The New York law on this subject is typical of the best 

 state laws on quarantine. It says : 



"The Board of Health shall prohibit and prevent all 

 intercourse and communication with or use of infected 

 premises, places, and things ; and require and if necessary 



Figure 247. — Model Dairy Stable. 



provide the means for the thorough purification and chang- 

 ing of the same before general intercourse with the same 

 or use thereof shall be allowed." See Appendix B. 



This means if an individual is suffering from scarlet 

 fever or diphtheria, or some other communicable disease, 

 he shall not associate with the general public until he has 

 ceased to be a source of infection. His liberty is tempo- 

 rarily restricted by quarantine because he may be the 

 cause of sickness and even death to others by spreading 

 the germs of communicable disease. 



It is interesting to know that the more highly civilized 



