Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: British West Indian Conference on Quarantine, 1888. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.
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![suppose you issue a clean bill of health from Trinidad without endorsement; with Venezuela we have a great deal of communication, hundreds of people going and coming every month, must not any colony, with such information as we have, have some doubt that our bills of health are not worthy of trust ? Mr. BERKELEY : They could have a vise from the Consul; he is the person who will protect the interests of Vene- ziiela and give her every information; she would not be guided by the bills of health but by information from the Consul, Dr. CEANE : We look upon a bill of health as a means of information. We place no value upon it as to quaran- tine. We deal with the facts as stated in the bill of health. Mr. BEEKELEY : It is not that- We are putting into this Act a form of a foul bill of health which we are to accept as information for ourselves. You cannot compel foreign States or Govern- ments to accept your bill of health, and therefore we do ourselves no good, only harm, by trying to get foreign Govern- ments to treat us in the liberal way we propose to treat ourselves. We were issuing clean bills of health in one part of the Leeward Islands, and the French Consul put in several cases of fever : we called it bilious fever, he was good enough to call it yellow fever, and in consequence they quarantined us. I believe, however, he was hauled over the coals for it afterwards by the Gover- nor of Guadeloupe. I think we might pass that bill of health; it is a very good one, and it is for the Consular authori- ties in these colonies to look after their interests. Dr. PRINGLE : I think we should say port, place or vicinity. Dr. grieve : Yes, on the under- standing that vicinity does not apply to the whole colony. Mr. McKlNNEY: Immediate vici- nity. Mr. low : I scarcely think 60 miles can be called in the vicinity. Dr. PRINGLE : I think it is the best plan to leave it open, and depend upon the Consular agents in foreign countries to inform them. The PRESIDENT: That Consular authority is a certain safeguard. Dr. PRINGLE: We often get clean bills from Colon, and the British Consul informs us of various diseases existing. Dr. crane : I move that every bill of health shall state as clearly as can be the exact state of health of the colonies and countries with which they have free communication. Mr. SANDERSON : I scarcely think that would do. Mr. McKINNEY: You are not obliged to take them; it is for infor- mation. Mr. SANDERSON: If we issue biUs of health like that we would drive the whole of our seeking trade away: we would be simj)ly ruining that trade, which extends to Cuba and far away. If we put on a case of measles, small pox, or anything, that ship would have to go through and pay most exorbitant fees and be delayed for weeks. We have had it done over and over again. Dr. grieve : I was under the im- pression that was settled yesterday. Mr. BERKELEY: So was L Dr. grieve : But if it is reopened I shall certainly support Dr. Crane's proposal to the utmost of my power. The PRESIDENT: When we say settled, nothing we have done here is so far decided that we cannot say any- thing about it if anyone has any sug- gestions. We had already taken up the question of the bills of health we are considering now; we had a certain amount of discussion, and then it was left over, and I understood there had been this sort of compromise, if I may call it,—I am not going to say it was agreed to irrevocably, but there was that idea. We now come to discuss bills of health, their form, and exact condi- tions. We must define these points ; they are important points, and there are great arguments on both sides. Dr. GRIEVE: Perhaps I may be allowed to move that bills of health be: [See Annex (B), Minutes, Sixth Sitting. Page 85.]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21297678_0209.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
