346 PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



and port cities thus putting them on their guard as to the need of special 

 vigilance regarding imports and immigration from such places or cities. 

 However, every ship from a foreign port on arriving within the quarantine 

 zone*of the station is visited by the boarding officer who immediately 

 proceeds to get data regarding the -sanitary conditions on board, as to 

 deaths, sickness of any kind, etc. All passengers, including the ship's 

 crew, are lined up and inspected by the boarding officer. If nothing unto- 

 ward is reported or detected the captain of the ship is given a clean bill 

 of health and the vessel is permitted to dock and discharge passengers and 

 cargo. 



If however the boarding officer finds a case of small-pox or other quar- 

 antinable disease on board, the ship is anchored near the station; the 

 passengers and crew are landed at the quarantine station and, with the 

 aid of the ship's officers, the quarantine officer proceeds to disinfect all 

 persons and their personal effects, the same class distinction (first cabin, 

 second cabin, steerage, ship's crew) being maintained as on ship. Each 

 day, as long as the quarantine lasts, all persons are examined by the chief 

 officer of the station, to note, if possible the first manifestations of new 

 cases. Just as soon as a new case is found the patient is at once taken 

 care of in an isolated hospital. Suspects are kept under observation in 

 an isolation camp. 



All personal effects, including every bit of clothing worn, is disinfected 

 in enormous double walled cylinders, by means of hot formalin laden steam 

 under pressure. Sterilization is made absolutely complete without any 

 injury to the clothing. 



The ship with its cargo is next disinfected with sulphur dioxide gas 

 generated in iron pots or pails placed upon sheets of tin. A little alcohol 

 is poured over the sulphur, ignited, the exits closed down and kept closed 

 for twelve hours. If the cargo contains combustible material as alcohol, 

 oil, benzine, etc., the sulphur dioxide is generated upon a special boat or 

 float which is run alongside and the fumes conducted into the hold of the 

 ship to be disinfected. The sulphur fumes kill all organisms present, in- 

 cluding fleas, rats and mice. In fact sulphuring of ships must be resorted 

 to [quite frequently for the sole purpose of killing rats and mice, even 

 though there may have been no disease on board. 



4. Purification and Sterilization of Water Supplies 



Every city, town, hamlet and home should have an ample supply of 

 pure water for drinking, cooking and cleansing purposes. Impure waters, 

 that is waters which require sterilization in order to render them potable, 

 are always dangerous. It is therefore of prime importance to secure a pure 

 supply of water, sufficiently pure to make the work of sterilization and 



