228 



QUARANTINE AND SMALLPOX. 



argue further. It is judged by implication in the course of 

 the following remarks, and I do not think that anyone who takes 

 the trouble to consider them seriously will then maintain that 

 that reversion is wise, or at all likely to be useful. 



Thirdly, as to the powers and limitations of quarantine I have 

 defined both in the following phrase : " The true function of 

 Quarantine is not to prevent the entrance of contagion, but to 

 lessen the entering number of sources of contagion." This 

 proposition is indisputable in the face of experience ; and quite 

 recent events here can be adduced to prove it. As to the tirst 

 part, the very case of the Port Victor, which you have just listened 

 to, shows that occasionally circumstances must arise in which 

 it is practically impossible to detect contagion until it has effected 

 entrance, and is already active among the general population ; 

 while as for the second part, the experience of the current year 

 alone in the cases of the Preu^en, the Chingtu, and the Tsinrm, 

 prove that as far as it goes it is a most useful and an 

 indispensable defence. But what quarantine can do must not 

 be considered alone ; it concerns, not individual, but national, 

 interests ; and the price to be paid in the doing must not be 

 left unbalanced against the benefits purchased in exchange. 

 Even the limited quarantine I have just defined cannot be 

 maintained without entailing serious expenditure both on the 

 country using it, and, what is not a widely different interest, on 

 ship-owners ; for persons on infected ships cannot be ascertained 

 to be themselves free from disease by any examination which does 

 not involve detention during a considerable period. Nevertheless, 

 expensive as it is I would not willingly see the least relaxation 

 in its severity, while our circumstances remain what they now are ; 

 for I believe it affords a fully equivalent measure of security. 

 Herein, it may be observed, our practice differs from that of the 

 English. But this should not sway us to give up our plan ; there 

 is a sound reason for it which consists in conditions which do not 

 affect the English. This also I have formulated ; the whole case 

 is stated in the sentence, " Nations whose internal sanitation is 

 imperfect cannot afford to refer the observation of suspects to the 

 country at large." 



The foregoing are general considerations ; but in the present 

 *case of Tasmania there are some of a more special nature to be 

 entertained. The very foundation of the labours of the Conference 

 was frank recognition of the unity of Australasia in respect of 

 infectious disease ; recognition of the fact that, for all practical 

 purposes, the infection of one territory must be taken to imply 

 the infection of all. It was clearly seen and admitted, in short, 

 that intercolonial quarantine is a farce long since played out ; 

 -and it is on that very ground and no other that Tasmania has 



