Letter on ship sanitation. No. 12 : addressed to the members of the Special Commission on Immigration into the United States, at present in Europe, on a tour of inspection.

  • Leet, Charles Henry, 1836-1907.
Date:
1891
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letter on ship sanitation. No. 12 : addressed to the members of the Special Commission on Immigration into the United States, at present in Europe, on a tour of inspection. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    LETTER ON SHIP SANITATION.(io No. 12 Addressed to the Members of the Special Commission on Imniigmlion into the United States, at present in Europe,a tour of Inception. iRTH, LIVERPOOL, 19th AVGUST, 1891. Gentlemen, ' ■ . . ■ I have the honour to submit for your careful pbrusal the following statement''' recording my professional experience whilst Medical OfScer in the Atlantic Emigration Service of the British Merchant Navy, and to express my conviction that your advent in Europe will mark the commence- ment of a new epoch in the history of International Hygiene and of Marine Sanitation in trans- oceanic passenger ships. I have taken a continuous interest in the subject of alien Immigration into the United States during my ship surgeonry of four years dating down to 1889, in twa of the most fashionable of the Atlantic passenger lines. Having been obliged to relinquish Medical Practice in Liverpool through ill-health and to seek recovery by a life on the ocean wave, I had ample opportunities of recording facts bearing upon the Medical inspections and sanitary environment on ship board of the steerage passengers 7-oute to the United States. Before describing the more technical and professional side of the subject it is desirable to take a glance at the attitude taken up by the American people in regard to alien immigration, and to what extent the European Governments, particularly our own, have rendered them assistance in this matter. On the one hand the regulations controlling alien immigration into the United States have been reasonable and judicious. The American Government with paternal anxiety bearing in mind what far-reaching effects upon the vital statistics, morality and civilization of their young country would ensue from the unrestricted admission of the lowest classes of Europeans. On the other hand it must be confessed that the European Governments have treated with masterly inactivity the frequent and earnest appeals of the Americans for co-operation m their laudable efforts at selection of desir- able Immigrants for American citizenship. As on other questions of international honour and goodwill. Great Britain’s example has been watched and followed by the Continental States, but alas how .much have we to boast of in this matter on the score either of honour or goodwill ? The British Government has been little better than languid spectators of the fierce competition amongst her own Atlantic Passenger Steamship Companies for the lions share of the carriage of emigrants, regarding the Shipowners simply from the legal standpoint of “ Common Carriers,” who have a right to ply their trade in this traffic in human flesh undisturbed by hygienic restrictions or sanitary supervision on ship board. Our Government has been led to adopt this cowardly attitude towards' the powerful Shipowners of England, recollecting the passive resistance firmly maintained by the latter for the past quarter of a century to the beneficent provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1867, grudging their own seamen, their honest toilers afloat, the cubic space ventilation, lighting and dryness which is even far inferior to that provided for the criminal ashore; nay more, for the truth must be spoken, the “smart” shipowner of to-day will haggle over every foot of crew space with that Board of Trade Surveyor who may have the unpleasant duty of surveying his ship prior to her registration. Can then the Board of Trade expect more righteous dealings at the hands of the Shipowners in the case of foreigners, the poor unprotected emigrants? and yet the Passengers Acts of both America and England embody no unreasonable sanitary requirements, a fact which should impress the Boai’d of Trade with the importance of its duties and insist upon the shipowners doing what is right and just, because it is right and just. My experience in our British Atlantic Emigration traffic has led me to regard the successful Steamship Manager as a kind of hypnotist exercising a mesmeric power over weaker wills, his suggestions readily accepted by his shipping officials, and indeed the officers of II.M. Board of Trade at Liverpool have also been very susceptible subjects, the Executive, as well as the Medical, Inspecting Officers of Emigration. According to my observations the clever manager was most successful with his spell at the saloon table, when exhausted human nature rendered these officials easy victims, but at last an edict was issued by the Presideirt of the Board in London, that the Medical Inspectors must perform their official duties aboard these hospitable ships, without partakimi of the luncheons. The President himself made a remarkable statement from his official seat in Parliament last month, on 14th July, 1891, hr reference to this matter, inform- ing the House that in 1888 ‘ ‘ one of the highest officers of the Board of Trade made an exhaustive inquiry at Liverpool, but was utterly unable to discover any evasions by the Steamship Managers of the Board’s E;nigration Sanitary Requirements.” • The Medical Member of your CommUsion invited mo to write a practical statement.