Quarantine Procedure at The New York Quarantine Station - 1912
The Doctors Head out to Meet up With the Ship to Begin Processing Immigrants. the Maltine Company, Quarantine Sketches, 1902. GGA Image ID # 14ab8ad189
Upon the arrival of a non-infected vessel carrying passengers from cholera-infected ports, the ship is boarded, an inspection is made, and a careful history regarding all illnesses that occurred during the voyage is obtained.
Specimens are obtained from all hospitalized patients unless it is apparent that the ailment could not possibly be connected with cholera, which are termed "specials." These specimens are then immediately laboratory examined.
Suppose there has been no sickness among the cabin passengers. The preliminary examination of the "specials" (which consists of a direct examination of specimens and the original cultures) proves negative. In that case, they are released at once and allowed to land.
By this method, every illness on the voyage is considered suspicious until proven otherwise.
Steerage Passengers
Before obtaining specimens from the steerage passengers, the procedure is as follows: Cards have been furnished to the purser, and one is requested to make out for each passenger according to the manifest, giving the name, age, sex, manifest number, and the ship's name.
The men and women passengers are separated, and the boys under 12 years of age accompany their mothers. The hospital or other suitable room is curtained so that obtaining a specimen may be made as private as possible.
The test tubes, with cotton swabs, have been sterilized, and envelopes are prepared onshore and taken aboard by the medical officers attached to the laboratory. All being in readiness, the individual passenger presents himself and shows his inspection card and the special card prepared for him when he enters the room.
The cotton swab, moistened by dipping into a sterile tube of peptone solution, is now used to take the specimen directly from the rectum. The tube with the swab specimen is placed in the envelope, together with the special card with which the passenger was furnished on entering.
This method may be used to take specimens from approximately 200 men or 125 women and children in one hour. The envelopes are then brought to the laboratory. The cards are numbered when they are removed from the envelopes with the specimen tubes, and inoculations are made into Dunham's peptone media at once, in which tubes are given corresponding numbers as those on the cards.
The procedure has recently been modified so that swabs are dropped directly into the previously numbered peptone tubes as soon as they are taken, and the corresponding number is recorded on the special card for the individual. These original tubes are then brought ashore and incubated.
At the end of six hours, subcultures are made from the original tubes. From these subcultures, which are six to eight hours old, smears are made, stained with a carbolfuchsin solution diluted to 10 percent of the original strength, and examined for vibrio.
Each bacteriologist examines approximately 100 ready-prepared stained specimens in three to four hours. Should a vibrio be found, plates are made on agar, the colonies are studied, and an agglutination test is made with a specific serum. The macroscopic method is used at 1-200.
View of Hoffman Island Where Immigrants With Infectious Diseases Were Held in Quarantine Before Arriving at Ellis Island circa 1910. George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress # 2014689774. GGA Image ID # 148d49f727
This should give an instantaneous reaction if it is cholera. A control with normal serum is always made. If all examinations prove negative, the vessel is released. If a carrier is found, the passengers are removed to the detention barracks at Hoffmann Island, where they are segregated into three groups, the carrier being sent to Swinburne Island.
The detained are again examined bacteriologically before the five-day period expires. The conditions of infected vessels are carefully studied and treated individually.
No particular method of procedure can be given further than that an examination for carriers on the same lines given for non-infected vessels is made of the steerage and crew.
In the experience of practical cholera workers, this examination could safely be begun 48 hours after the removal of the carrier, as it is believed that the vibrio would have made its appearance in the dejecta or lower intestine by then.
Some objections have been raised to adopting cathartic onboard vessels for obtaining stools or dejecta because of the limited toilet accommodations, the possible spread of infectious material if present, and because one might neglect ordinary personal cleanliness from frequent action of a cathartic or saline.
More attendants would be required, and each individual entering the toilet would be carefully monitored until the specimen is obtained; besides, there might be some delay in securing action from the purge.
The direct method of obtaining specimens may be favored because it is more expeditious, as a specimen can be obtained more rapidly and within a short time after the vessel's arrival.
It is a less satisfactory specimen than obtained from the stool. Yet, one can overcome this if the individual is given a purge a day before arrival. One could get an equally good result by using the direct swab method immediately after saline, avoiding stool handling.
Another method is also being tried. A small glass tube open at both ends containing the swab has been used to insert the rectum like a speculum. After the introduction, the swab passes beyond the tubal end to remove a specimen.
The result shows a considerably larger amount of material obtained, besides being safer and easier to apply. The direct swab method is efficient, as demonstrated in the results thus far.
Should a vibrio or curved organism be found, which in the mixed culture may show a partial agglutination in a hanging drop on test with specific serum, the person is immediately removed into isolation pending further examination of the vibrio.
Thus, if the vibrio on the following day proves to be cholera, the contact with the carrier has been shortened. It operates further to the advantage of those in detention, shortening their observation period by about one day. If it proves negative for cholera, no harm has been done. In general, the practice may be summarized as follows:
Cabin Passengers
Every case of illness among cabin passengers, without exception, is examined bacteriologically before they are released. This inclusive practice has been applied to all vessels from all European ports this season, demonstrating our commitment to the health and safety of all passengers.
Should a vessel have a case of cholera aboard, cabin passengers are held until it is determined that no ship infection is present. Once their safety is confirmed, they are released immediately, respecting their time and convenience.
Crews
Crews, except officers, on infected vessels are examined as a routine measure. Sick crew members on uninfected vessels are always examined.
All steerage passengers are examined as a routine measure, as required under Department Circular No. 47, July 19, 1911 (vide supra).
In any case, where a carrier is found, all possible contacts initiated before the expiration of five days are reexamined.
An essential aspect of dealing with vessels is determining the possible association of one class with another. A certain number of ships carrying immigrants are built especially for the trade.
It is a reasonably safe procedure to recognize each class as a unit where an infection has occurred among them. This has been identified in the recent additions to the United States Quarantine Regulations.
Thus, in the case of cholera or a carrier found among the firemen, the sailors do not generally affect the steerage, or the infection does not affect the cabin.
One may expect that carriers will be found on a vessel upon which a case of cholera has occurred. Still, it has also been demonstrated that carriers may be located onboard a ship arriving with a clean history and in good sanitary condition, as happened on the Duca di Genova.
As stated hereinbefore, vessels carrying - Italian immigrants are required, under the laws of Italy, to have a medical officer of the Italian navy, whose designation is that of Italian royal commissioner. He has no connection with the ship's crew or officers whatsoever.
His mission is to look after the interests of the immigrants. To that end, he examines the quantity, quality, and cooking of their food, which he tastes and examines before it is served. He also looks after the comforts of the immigrants, the cleanliness of their barracks, and the sick who require care and attention.
He is informed if any illness develops among passengers or crew on board the vessel. If it is infectious, he carries out all preventive measures, including isolation and disinfection.
During the current quarantine season, the royal commissioner has preserved specimens of the dejecta of cases where the diagnosis of cholera was made or in cases of diarrhea. He has also made cultures from the dejecta or vomit or both by plating and on agar slants of Dieudonne's media, which he has submitted to the quarantine officer, together with a complete history.
In this way, cases at sea have been confirmed as cholera cases. He is of the greatest assistance to the quarantine officer in this respect. If it is found that the measures adopted have been intelligently and effectively carried out, they should be $on weight in the treatment of the vessel.
In addition, during the present quarantine, Serrati royal commissioner, Dr. M. Serrati, attached to the Italian consulate in New York, has rendered most valuable assistance to the quarantine authorities in obtaining the active interest and cooperation of the officers in his corps and many other respects in the handling of immigrants subject to examination, which greatly facilitated the work.
"Quarantine Procedure at the New York Quarantine Station," "Operations of the United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service," included in the Annual Report of the Surgeon General of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service of the United States for the Fiscal Year 1911, Washington: US Government Printing Office, 1912, p. 114-117, edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.
Why You Should Read This Article on Quarantine Procedures at the New York Quarantine Station (1912)
For teachers, students, genealogists, and family historians, this article provides a rare, detailed look into the quarantine process that shaped immigration policy in the early 20th century. Whether your ancestors came through Ellis Island or you’re researching historical public health measures, this piece offers firsthand insight into how medical officers worked to prevent disease outbreaks while processing thousands of immigrants.
Key Insights from the Article:
1. How Quarantine Measures Affected Immigrants Upon Arrival
- Every ship arriving from a cholera-infected port was subject to immediate medical inspection before passengers were allowed to disembark.
- Steerage passengers faced stricter medical scrutiny than first- and second-class travelers.
- Any illness, even minor, was considered suspicious until proven otherwise.
2. Advanced Medical Testing Was Used to Detect Disease
- Bacteriological specimens were taken from every steerage passenger to detect cholera carriers.
- Agglutination tests and microscopic examination were used to identify vibrio bacteria.
- The six-hour incubation period allowed for rapid diagnosis before passengers were cleared or quarantined.
3. Strict Isolation Protocols at Hoffman and Swinburne Islands
- Sick passengers were sent to Swinburne Island, a specialized quarantine hospital, while those exposed to disease were detained at Hoffman Island.
- Immigrants were separated into three groups:
- Confirmed cases of infection
- Carriers who tested positive for bacteria but showed no symptoms
- Potential contacts who required further testing before release
4. Immigrant Ships Had Government-Mandated Health Officials
- Italian steamships were required to have a Royal Commissioner from the Italian Navy on board.
- The Commissioner monitored food quality, sanitation, and medical care for steerage passengers.
- If disease was detected, preventative measures—including isolation and disinfection—were implemented at sea before arrival in New York.
5. The Role of Public Health Officials in Preventing Epidemics
- Every illness among cabin passengers was tested for cholera before they were released.
- Ship crew members were examined separately to ensure they hadn’t spread disease among passengers.
- The quarantine system prioritized national health over individual convenience, ensuring that no potential carriers entered the country undetected.
Why This Article Matters for Immigration & Public Health History
📖 For genealogists and family historians: This article helps explain why some ancestors may have been delayed, quarantined, or even denied entry due to public health concerns.
📖 For educators and students: It offers a historical case study on how medical science, immigration, and government policy intersected.
📖 For those interested in public health history: It reveals early disease detection methods, quarantine protocols, and the evolution of global health regulations.
🚢 If you want to understand the challenges immigrants faced upon arrival—including the strict medical barriers they had to pass—this article is a must-read!
