546 THOMPSON YATES LABORATORIES REPORT 
and vigour of Europeans, and makes comparatively frequent sojourns in more tem- 
perate climates advisable. With solely the uneventful and unworried mode of life 
in the forest, away from the cares and anxieties of commerce and civilization, the 
conditions are probably more favourable for prolonged residence in the Amazon 
valley. Thus, as an isolated instance, I may mention meeting R.H., an Englishman, 
now eighty-five years old, and fairly hale, who resides away in the forest several days 
canoe journey from Manaos, and whose last visit to cooler climates (England) 
occurred in I 847. 
The general maintenance of health and energy would be enhanced by the 
establishment of fresh, or the improvement of existing means of transit, whereby 
better facilities for recreation would be afforded. Further, the welfare of European 
residents would undoubtedly be increased by an annual holiday trip for a few weeks, 
for instance, into a fresher climate, and change of scene and diet. At present, appar- 
ently, there is no definite system of holiday, so that in this respect the clerk in Para 
is less fortunate than his brother at home, although he is exposed to a far less favour- 
able climate. How far the towns on the seaboard of the northern Brazilian coast 
would be suitable for such a purpose, were good accommodation available, cannot be 
said without personal experience. Probably the change of surroundings would be 
insufficient, and at any rate these places are not used for health purposes to any extent 
either by foreigners or natives. The nearest place which seems to be suitable is the 
island of Barbados, which is a four-day voyage from Para, and is not infrequently 
called at by the steamers on the service between New York, and Para. However, 
the quarantine board of the island impose a period of fourteen days quarantine — a 
period which seems to be fixed as a ' useful period for all infective disorders.'* 
This regulation necessitates a sojourn of ten days at the quarantine station (Pelican 
Island) and practically cuts off the use of Barbados as a recuperating station for the 
Amazon region. A little more freedom in rational framing of regulations, so that 
some distinction were made between immunes and non-immunes, and a limitation of 
detention to the latter class")" tor six or seven days, would redound to the mutual 
advantage of the island, and the residents on the Amazon. 
Mortality. At the present time the death rate, etc., are calculated on a supposed 
population of 100,000 inhabitants in Para ; it would appear that this estimate is 
* No distinction from the yellow fever point of view into 'immunes and non-immunes' is recognized by this board, 
although the classification has been found useful in the United States, into which immunes are allowed free entry without a 
detention of a period to complete five clear days, which is exacted for ' non-immunes.' Again the period of fourteen days is 
far beyond the limit of the incubative stage of yellow fever, which at most does not extend into a seventh day. Although small- 
pox is apparently also feared, no particular attention appears to be paid to whether persons are vaccinated or not. During my 
passage up to New York the vessel was loaded with sugar in quarantine. This consisted in taking a gang of labourers on board 
to stevedore, and keeping them until the next day, so that if any infected and infecting condition obtained upon the vessel, these 
labourers were exposed as much as possible to infection. When the loading was complete the men were taken directly ashore 
and allowed to distribute themselves to their homes. Much red tape is also employed in the signing of 'permits' to land and 
not to land labourers. This record may be of interest to the historian who wishes to see the amount of uncommon sense which 
was displayed in quarantine practice at the commencement of the twentieth century. 
-f I should be inclined not to consider a recent convalescent as an immune until about six weeks had passed since his being 
taken ill ; since, apparently, a sort of secondary attack may sometimes occur about a month after the original attack. 
