56 EARLY QUARANTINE ARRANGEMENTS OF SALEM. 



characteristic of the place. Of course, in common with 

 the country at large, in 1831-2, we had our cholera scare, 

 but the distemper gained no foothold. Salem accepted a 

 City Charter in 1836, and, in 1839, passed a Health 

 Ordinance which has been in operation with little amend- 

 ment since. Under the act of 1799, a Board of Health 

 was at once established, July 1, and, July 5, a new Health 

 House at Watch House Point had been contracted for, a 

 Port Physician engaged, a boat bought, quarantine estab- 

 lished at the Junipers, and two boarding officers secured. 

 The board met every Monday morning at eight o'clock 

 at the Court House, and showed commendable zeal and 

 vigor in combating the approach of "Disorders from 

 abroad." They describe this as the "primary object" of 

 the act and resolve by vote that " they will see the act in 

 full effect," especially as regards quarantine, "that part of 

 their duty which is disagreeable and expensive." Now it 

 is arrivals from "Philadelphia or any port within the 

 Deleware," now from " Gibralter and the Mediterranean," 

 now " from Havana and St. Thomas," and again " from the 

 Chisapeak," which give occasion for their vigilance. But 

 the modifications of the system which have from time to 

 time occurred, and the measures taken by our Board of 

 Health from that day to the present have been so sub- 

 stantially in accord with those adopted all over the country, 

 and especially in seaport towns of about our own size, 

 that I do not feel at liberty to extend this already pro- 

 tracted account by a recital of them. 



I am, Gentlemen, very respectfully 

 and truly yours, 



ROBERT S. RANTOUL. 

 Salem, March, 1882. 



