SS City of Berlin Vaccination Certificate (1893): Immigration & Public Health in the Late 19th Century
A rare 1893 Vaccination Certificate from the SS City of Berlin, proving smallpox inoculation for immigrant I. O. Kilgarriff. Learn how public health policies shaped U.S. immigration, influencing steamship travel, Ellis Island medical inspections, and quarantine regulations.
🩺 SS City of Berlin Vaccination Card (1893): A Vital Immigration & Public Health Artifact
This 1893 Vaccination Certificate Card issued to I. O. Kilgarriff aboard the SS City of Berlin of the American Line is an exceptional historical document illustrating the intersection of public health and immigration policies in the late 19th century. The card provided proof of smallpox vaccination, ensuring that immigrants could enter the U.S. without quarantine delays and travel freely by rail and steamship within the country.
For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this document is a primary source that brings to life the strict health regulations imposed on immigrants, demonstrating how disease control influenced migration patterns and the challenges that travelers faced during the Ellis Island era.
Front Side of Vaccination Certificate Card, Issued by the American Line to I. O. Kilgarriff on 6 March 1893, a Passenger on the SS City of Berlin. The Passenger must keep this card to avoid detention by Quarantine in New York or while traveling by Rail or Steamers in the United States. GG Archives Immigration Primary Source Collection. GGA Image ID # 14d7631859
This Card was given to a passenger to provide evidence of that passenger's vaccination for smallpox in 1893. UK Immigrant I. Kilgarriff received this Card from the Surgeon on board the SS City of Berlin of the American Line on a voyage from Southampton to New York.
The Vaccination Card dated 6 March 1893 was signed by the Surgeon (illegible signature). This voyage should have been listed in the Morton Allan Directory of European Passenger Steamship Arrivals.
Back Side of Vaccination Certificate Card, Issued by the American Line to I. O. Kilgarriff on 5 March 1893, a Passenger on the SS City of Berlin. The Passenger must keep this card to avoid detention by Quarantine in New York or while traveling by Rail or Steamers in the United States. Text in English, German, and Danish. GG Archives Immigration Primary Source Collection. GGA Image ID # 14d79a13b3
There are strict quarantine regulations regarding the examination of immigrants to see that they are protected from smallpox by vaccination and that only those persons who hold a certificate from a medical officer of the steamship stating that they are so protected are permitted to land without detention in quarantine or vaccination by the port (or ship's) physician.
Information About the Card
- Title: Vaccination. Protected
- Issued By: American Line: Southampton - New York Service
- Vessel: City of Berlin
- Passenger: I. O. Kilgarriff
- Dated: 6 March 1893
- Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.2 cm
📜 Why This Document is Significant in Immigration History
🛳 1. Smallpox & Immigration: A Public Health Priority at U.S. Ports
By the late 1800s, smallpox was one of the most feared diseases worldwide, leading to strict vaccination requirements for immigrants arriving in the U.S.. The SS City of Berlin Vaccination Card was an official document proving that a passenger had been inoculated, preventing quarantine detentions or forced vaccination upon arrival.
Why This Was Important:
✔ Steamship companies required mandatory vaccination before travel to reduce the risk of outbreaks aboard ships.
✔ U.S. immigration officials enforced strict health screenings, particularly after cholera and smallpox outbreaks.
✔ A vaccination certificate became a prerequisite for free movement, ensuring that newly arrived immigrants could board trains and steamers without further inspection.
🩺 2. The Role of the SS City of Berlin & The American Line in Immigration History
The SS City of Berlin, operated by the American Line, was a major passenger steamship on the Southampton-New York route, transporting thousands of immigrants from Europe to the United States. This vaccination certificate is a testament to how ocean liners served as both transportation and medical inspection stations before Ellis Island formalized health examinations.
🚢 About the SS City of Berlin:
✔ Built in 1874, it was one of the largest transatlantic steamships of its time.
✔ Carried thousands of immigrants from Britain, Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia to the U.S. in the late 19th century.
✔ Featured dedicated medical officers to ensure that passengers were vaccinated and disease-free before landing.
📝 3. The Importance of the Vaccination Card for Immigrants
The front side of the vaccination card is an official certification from the ship's surgeon, confirming that I. O. Kilgarriff had been vaccinated onboard the SS City of Berlin on 6 March 1893. The back side of the card states that the passenger must keep this document to avoid detention at quarantine stations in New York or during rail and steamship travel within the U.S.
💡 Why This Document Mattered to Immigrants:
✔ Immigrants without a vaccination certificate faced quarantine detention or medical examination upon arrival.
✔ This card allowed them to move freely through U.S. ports, reducing delays in reaching family members or job opportunities.
✔ The card was multilingual (English, German, and Danish), reflecting the diverse immigrant population arriving in the U.S.
🖼 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance
📜 1. Front Side of Vaccination Certificate (March 6, 1893)
👉 A rare example of an official vaccination record used to prevent immigrant detainment upon arrival.
📜 2. Back Side of Vaccination Certificate (March 5, 1893)
👉 Multilingual text (English, German, and Danish) emphasizes the widespread enforcement of vaccination requirements for immigrants.
🔎 How This Document Helps Teachers, Students & Genealogists
📚 For Teachers & Students:
✔ Provides a firsthand account of 19th-century public health practices in immigration history.
✔ Perfect for interdisciplinary studies—connects history, public health, and migration studies.
✔ A real-world artifact that illustrates the impact of epidemics on immigration policies.
🔎 For Genealogists & Family Historians:
✔ If your ancestors immigrated during this period, they likely had to comply with similar vaccination regulations.
✔ Similar records may have been kept in family archives, local registries, or Ellis Island medical records.
📝 For Historians & Researchers:
✔ Demonstrates how early public health regulations were enforced on immigrant populations.
✔ Highlights the importance of steamship medical officers and quarantine enforcement at U.S. ports.
📖 Final Thoughts: Why This Article Is Important
The 1893 Vaccination Certificate from the SS City of Berlin is a powerful historical document that reveals the strict medical requirements imposed on immigrants before they could enter the U.S. It serves as a testament to the role of steamship medical inspections in controlling disease outbreaks, protecting port cities, and ensuring safer immigration practices.
🌍 This vaccination card is an early example of a "health passport"—a concept that remains relevant today in global travel and public health regulations.
