Report by 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
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report by 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 King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    69/594 (page 55)
    QnaraiUine. ^'^ surgeons of the American steamers, and the docu- iiients are in the possession of the executive. To the <]nestion—Are you aciiuainted witli the localities where the two first cases of cholera, in Kingston, oc- <iurred—if so, describe tliem t 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 iiouses far apart from each other; the rooms were small, very close and hi thy. In both in- stances, the window of the room faced, at tlie 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. I do not think that it is. This disease has defied qua- rantine restrictions in all parts of the world up to the present period ; nevertheless they continue to be imposed by other governments. To the question— Is it your opinion, that in future no quarantine should be imposed on vessels coming from an infected port, or on board which, a case or cases 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 who think it is not conta- gious or infectious. It may be contingently so, not otherwise, ^rhere arc 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 pliysicians are of ditterent opinion in such cases. Dr. Chamberlane adds, Cho- lera never a])peared, nor travelled to these shores, till last year ; and an extraordinary year it was, in reference to atmospheric phenomena. Some great epidemic was anticipated l)y many, and |)repaiations 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 which are