Report of the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly.

Jamaica. Central Board of Health

Date:: 1852

Credit: Report of the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$srirgeoiis of tbe America,!! steamers, an<l tlie docu- ments are in the posj^ession of the executive. To the Cjuestioii—Are you acquainted with the localities where the two iirst ca«e.s of cholera, in Kingston, oc- curred—if so, describe them ! Dr. Chamberlane re- plies—-Yes, they occurred in the district of the city of which I had charge. They both occurred in Oxford street, but in houses far apart froui each other; the rooms w^re small, very close and filthy. In both in- stances, the w^indow of the room faced, at the dis- tance of two or three yards, a foul privy. Question. Do you consider that quarantine is of any avail, in preventing- the introduction of cholera'! Answer. 1 do not tliink that it is. This disease has defied cjua- rantine restrictions in all parts 'oHl the world up to the present period ; nevertheless tfiey continue to be imposed by other governments. To the question— Is it your opinion, that in future no quarantine should be imposed on vessels comiiig from an infected port, or on board which, a case or case^ of cholera had oc- curred during the voyage, but which were quite healthy upon arrival ! Answer. In my opinion, no quarantine should be imposed under such circum- stances ; 1 am one of those w ho think it is not conta- gious or infectious. It may be cpntingently so, not otherwise. There are many who think differently.— Question. If cholera existed on board a vessel at her arrival, should you recommend she should be put into quarantine? Answer. No, i should not in solitary cases, and when sanitary regulations are enforced ri- gidly ; civil and military physicians are of different opinion in such cases. Dr. Chamberlane adds, Cho- lera never appeared, nor travelled to these shores, till last year ; and an extraordinary year it was, in reference to atmospheric phenomena. Some great epide{]iic was anticipated by many, and preparations made accordingly. To the question—Do you con- sider that the atmospheric peculiarities to which you have just alluded, are necessary accompaniments or precursors to the spreading of all diseases w hich are$