$75,000 which was understood to form the basis of the offer made by the U. S. Treasury Department.

In the meantime Dr. Thomas' inventory and estimate of $166,500 as the value of the property had been filed with the Governor, enabling him to negotiate with the Treasury Department to much better advantage, especially in view of the evident eagerness of that Department to get possession of the Mississippi River Station, which was regarded by all concerned as the key to the situation.

Such was the status of affairs up to the latter part of February, 1907, when it was felt that prior to the beginning of the approaching quarantine season some definite action would surely be taken one way or the other.

On February 26th, Dr. J. H. White, of the United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, in company with Inspector Raymond of the Treasury Department, made a trip to the lower Mississippi river on a government vessel, obviously to seek a site for a Federal Quarantine Station in case it should be decided to establish one, though they were duly reticent on the subject.

This movement on the part of the United States officials was the topic of active discussion by the New Orleans press and people, resulting in an invitation to the President of the State Board of Health to address a meeting called by the Health and Quarantine Committee of the Progressive Union in order to explain fully his reasons for opposing the sale of the Mississippi River Station. Coincident with this address the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Merchants and Manufacturers Association met and adopted resolutions declaring:

"That this Association deems it necessary at this time, in the interest of the commerce of this city and State, to enter a vigorous protest against the transfer of maritime quarantine from the Louisiana State Board of Health to the Federal Government, for the following reasons, to-wit:-"

After stating those reasons, the resolutions proceeded to state that,

“米

We believe the control of maritime quarantine of Louisiana by the Maritime Hospital Service would operate to the detriment of the commerce of the city; that we as an association and as individuals most vigorously oppose any change in the system of maritime quarantine that would take said control from the hands of

the Louisiana State Board of Health or its President, Dr. Clifford H. Irion, whose management of the Public Health service of the State we most heartily endorse."

On March 1st the State Board of Health held a meeting, at which the Governor was present and urged the expediency of selling the Mississippi River Quarantine Station as authorized by the General Assembly. This proposition was vigorously opposed by the President of the Board, who, in addition to other arguments against such a sale, pointed out to the Governor that the Mallory-Williams bill only authorized the establishment of four Federal quarantine stations on the Gulf, whereas the State of Louisiana has for years operated five quarantine stations, not one of which could be safely abandoned, so that if the main station, from the revenues of which the four minor stations were supported, should be sold, the State Board would be deprived of the means to maintain the smaller stations except by a special appropriation for that object. Also that this division of control, one station being operated by the United States Government and four by the State, would result in the very conflict of authority which the Governor and other advocates of Federal control were planning to avoid.

This difficulty being one for which the Governor, in his fixed determination to sell the station, could offer no satisfactory solution, a resolution was adopted under which the President of the Board went to Washington, duly provided with a letter of authorization from the Governor, and took up the matter with the Secretary of the Treasury in person. That clear-sighted official at once saw his way to solve the minor difficulty and settle the main question at the same time by undertaking the operation and maintenance of the smaller stations as part of the duty devolving on his Department by the purchase of the Miss. River Station. This enlarged scheme also reconciled him to paying $100,000 for all the quarantine property of the State, and in this way he was enabled to meet the views of the Governor of Louisiana, who was holding out for that figure, at which the negotiations were finally completed, March 14, 1907.

The actual transfer of the Miss. River Quarantine Station to the United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service took place April 1, 1907, when Dr. R. H. von Ezdorf of that Service relieved Dr. John N. Thomas, who had served there as Resident Physician for the State since June, 1900.

Past Assistant Surgeon Hugh de Valin, United States Public

spence had no a vite var preston with Dr. Lams, to serve Juintly with

pon, and in partie wat to track the movements of passengers arriving ferre vengo di por a, a duty calling for the most active exertions by

retention by the United States Public Health and Marine Service of these several experienced State officers for duty và kia cea of their special training under the Louisiana Board showed Amcallent pudgment on the part of the Federal authorities, and did

at fy mhare My Airy a Tospector of an ́pping and passengers at New

much to reconcile the intense opposition which had manifested itself. in New Orleans and elsewhere in the State toward making an absolute transfer of control over maritime quarantine to strangers, as the rank and file of United States Public Health and Marine Hospital officers were regarded.

FAME OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER QUARANTINE STATION.

While there is not supposed to be any sentimental feeling in matters of business, and especially in such prosaic official work as the management of maritime quarantine, it was felt by many people in New Orleans and elsewhere in Louisiana that in selling the historic. and splendidly equipped Quarantine plant, which has served as the model for other States and for the Federal Government, the State of Louisiana parted with something which was peculiarly her own, a monument to the genius of her sons, and the pride of her people.

The fame of the Mississippi River Quarantine Station may be said to date back to the regeneration of the service in 1885 under the administration of Dr. Joseph Holt, as President of the State Board of Health, since which time the Station has been moved and progressively improved, until, at the time of its transfer to Federal jurisdiction, the plant located at its present site represents the highest type of completeness and efficiency.

From time to time the Station has been visited by health officials of State, Federal and foreign governments and its salient features. have been copied with more or less fidelity in the stations fitted up by certain of those visitors in their own territory.

Under the management of the last Resident Physician of Louisiana, Dr. Jno. N. Thomas, the work of filling the grounds up above the level of overflow has been completed. This, with the planting of grass, flowers, fruit and shade trees, has made a garden and beautyspot of what was formerly but a group of buildings elevated on piles in a salt marsh. Everything about the place was well kept and admirable.

In harmony with these physical perfections, the State administration of affairs at that Station has combined impartial rigidity in enforcing quarantine regulations with the most enlightened liberality directed to expediting the business of the shipping. Passenger vessels and fruiters not subject to detention have been brought alongside the wharf at all hours of the night and inspected under the

glare of powerful electric lights, thereby saving thousands of dollars to ships which, under technical rules limiting inspection to daylight hours, would have had to anchor until morning, while those on board fought mosquitoes and cursed all the powers of quarantine. In all the years that the State Board of Health has controlled maritime quarantine since the inauguration of the improved system in June, 1885, there is not an atom of evidence to show that yellow fever has ever gained a foothold in this country through any laxity at the Mississippi River or Port Eads Stations. The fever was introduced into Ocean Springs in 1897 by Cuban filibusters, and invaded New Orleans by the back door, while with present knowledge we are warranted in ascribing the early infection of New Orleans in 1905 to open communication with Cuba under the delusion that no infection existed on that island. To the credit of Dr. Thomas, Resident Physician of the Station, be it said that he did not share that delusion, and that if his advice had prevailed, Cuba would have been quarantined against April 1st, 1905.

As part of the efficient management of affairs at the Mississippi River Quarantine Station, the humane and successful treatment of fever patients removed from vessels during the incumbency of Dr. Thomas is particularly worthy of note.

The percentage of mortality among such cases at quarantine stations is usually very high, but at the Lazarette Hospital connected with the Mississippi River Station nearly all the fever cases taken from vessels recovered.

DENGUE at Brownsville, TEX., IN 1907.

So constantly have local epidemics of dengue preceded outbreaks of yellow fever that when it became known late in July, 1907, that dengue was very prevalent in Brownsville, Texas, serious apprehension was felt by all concerned. Official advice reached the office of the State Board of Health, July 27th, relative to the state of affairs at Brownsville, and Dr. Fred J. Mayer, Special Medical Inspector of the Board, was at once detailed by the President to go there and remain for purposes of observations.

It was not until about a week later that the general public became aware of the situation, and during that time Dr. Mayer had sent daily reports from Brownsville, where Dr. W. H. Brumby, State Health Officer of Texas, was in charge, with several officers of the