a malady which, it appears, usually develops itself in the human system in two or three days at the most. The right rule undoubtedly is, that passengers should have the option of separating themselves at once from their apparel on arrival in quarantine, or as early as they can provide a change from without, and be examined by the medical inspecting officer at the time of changing, should they have come from any place with foul bills. When they have been again

find it already full to overflowing, and hence a struggle ensued for shelter, bedding, and provisions, which continued until midnight.

"Two gentlemen, their wives, a child, and maid-servant, were stowed away in a room without window, and about nine feet square; five ladies found seclusion in a garret, while others, including three invalids, had to put up with the floor and benches of the dining-room, in some instances without a particle of bedding. No luggage was brought to us until the following morning, but, now that it is here, few have the opportunity of undressing for a change of clothing.

"The lazaretto occupies three sides of a quadrangle, about 80 feet by 40, the fourth forming a terrace, which overhangs the river, at a considerable elevation. On this are the urinals, and at one end is a closet, in a most loathsome and disgusting state, while the slopes beneath emit the most offensive stenches, and teem with rats and other vermin. The dormitories are generally small, detached, and irregular; but others are larger, and contain ten or more beds. All are crowded to excess, and many abound in filth and insects to a most alarming degree. Perhaps fifty persons could be badly accommodated within the walls, but there are now 105, exclusive of officials, and the hosts of boatmen, coal-porters, and others, equal to at least 100 more, whose occupation lies with the incoming ships and steamers. Fresh arrivals are hourly expected, and we are assured that the inmates are frequently more numerous, every available bed and mattress being doubly occupied.

"The only place for exercise is the centre quadrangle, which is the scene of such noisy irregularity that ladies, at times, cannot venture to show themselves in it.

"The charges for accommodation are nearly 8s. and 45. per day."

visited, in four, five, or six days, and they are found to be perfectly well at the end of that period, it should suffice for their release; their effects should be then delivered also, or later if the expurgation could not be completed within the same time. Expurgation appears to be often imperfectly performed, and various articles of apparel, or of textile fabric, not wanted for immediate. use, to remain untouched until they have passed into pratique. As to bulky packages of susceptible goods belonging to the cargo, as wool, cotton, skins, &c., or stuffs of any of the like, the most prompt and effective means of airing and purifying them should be adopted which modern science can suggest, and there ought to be the utmost requisite space, if possible, in the lazaretto for the purpose. Sailors' clothes should be, with the difference of circumstances, heated for expurgation like those of the passengers; and where no sickness of a suspicious nature has disclosed itself among them during the voyage, and they continue in good health after being regularly inspected, a week or ten days should be sufficient detention for them; also during the same period, their effects and the ship might be properly expurgated, for all to be released together. If contagious diseases break out, or are imported into quarantine, their treatment must mostly depend on medical decision, and the means of separating the sound from the sick are one main essential object."

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* Dr. Wiblin, of Southampton, says that all goods may be safely and satisfactorily disinfected by nitric acid fumes, which are produced by pouring nitric acid upon copper filings. The fumes so produced are so powerful that no animalculæ can exist in them for more than two seconds; and the port-holes being closed for twelve hours, the process cannot fail to be effective.

6 Report of Mr. Consul Sandison.

Apart from any statutory law, it undoubtedly was, and is, a nuisance at Common Law and an indictable offence for a person, with full knowledge of the fact, to expose in a public highway another person infected with a contagious disorder. No person having a disorder of this description upon him may be publicly exposed to the endangering of the health and lives of the rest of the community.'

enact

A Statute passed in the reign of James I., is worthy Former of notice; it is known as the 2nd (but commonly called ments on Ist) James I. c. 31. It enabled the mayor, justices, the subject. and head officers of a place infected by the plague, to make a rate for the relief of the unhappy sufferers, and to effect such regulations as should be necessary to prevent the infection from spreading; by that statute it was enacted, that if any person infected with the plague, or dwelling in any infected house, should be commanded by the officer to keep his house, and should disobey, he might be enforced by the watchman appointed to obey such necessary commands; and if any hurt ensued by such enforcement, the watchmen were indemnified. And if such person so commanded to confine himself went abroad, and conversed in company, if he had no plaguesore upon him, he was punishable as a vagabond, by whipping, and to be bound to his good behaviour; but if he had any infectious sore upon him uncured, he was guilty of felony and punishable with death. This statute was repealed by the 7 Will. IV. & 1 Vict. c. 91; it had for very many years been obsolete.

The 45 Geo. III. c. 10 (which repealed former Acts of the same enactments), the 46 Geo. III. c. 98, the 50 Geo. III. c. 20, and the 51 Geo. III. c. 46, rendered all

7 Rex v. Vantandillo, 4 M. & S. 73; Rex v. Burnett, ibid. 273.

ships, including ships of war, which came from, or which had touched at, any place from whence the King by Order in Council had adjudged it probable that the plague or any other infectious disease might be brought, subject to quarantine. The penalty of felony, without benefit of clergy, was imposed on disobedience of persons under quarantine, and on those also who, although not infected, should after entering the place of quarantine escape therefrom.

In the year 1800, the project of erecting a Lazaretto on Chetney Hill, in the county of Kent, was adopted, and by an Act of Parliament, 40 Geo. III. c. 80, and subsequent Acts, large sums of money were granted for the purpose of carrying it into effect. This building was made use of for some years, but it was discovered, before its completion, that the situation had been injudiciously selected, and the intended institution was in consequence abandoned, and the material disposed of by order of Government. Since that time the use of ships, originally resorted to as a temporary expedient during the progress of the Lazaretto, has been continued; the different stations will be found specified in the Order in Council (see post, p. 84).

To meet the expense of the building at Chetney Hill, certain duties were formerly imposed upon all ships coming from the Mediterranean, and to the same ships. various regulations contained in the Quarantine Laws were applied, with a power of extending, by a special act of the Government, the operation of it to vessels coming from any other part of the world.

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CHAPTER II.

Bills of Health-Duties of Consuls-Cases referring to Bills of Health-Detention through Quarantine-Pratique--Forcible protection against Contagion.

THE application of the particular provisions of quarantine depends on the nature of certain documents, or certificates called "Bills of Health," with which the British Bills of health. consuls, residing in the ports of the Mediterranean and elsewhere, are directed to furnish all ships that may come from thence. These bills describe the state of the country, in respect of the existence or non-existence of the plague at the time of the departure of the vessel, and are of three kinds :—

The first is what is denominated a "clean bill,” which imports that at the time of sailing no infectious disorder existed, nor had any case indicative of it occurred during the previous forty days.

The second is called a "suspected bill," in which the general health of the place is stated, together with the occasional arrival of vessels coming to such port from infected places, which subjects it to suspicion, although no illness among the crew may have appeared.

The third is a "foul bill," and imports the existence of the infection at the port or in the country at the period of the departure of the vessel from the port whence she sailed.