ben.hib. STATE OF NEW YORK. No. 74. IN ASSEMBLY, MARCH 31, 1891. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF QUARANTINE OF NEW YORK, STATE OF NEW YORK: OFFICE OF COMMISSIONERS OF QUARANTINE, To the Legislature: } The Board of Commissioners of Quarantine, herewith submit their annual report: The admissions to Swinburne Island Hospital during the year have been fourteen in all. Of these patients only one suffered from yellow fever, while four had malarial fever and nine were small-pox suspects. Of these, one died and thirteen were discharged cured. The remains of four persons who had died on shipboard after arrival at this port, from infectious or con tagious diseases, were brought to the island, by direction of the Health Officer, and, with the approval of this board, were cremated. Three steamships, on a careful inspection by the Health Officer, were found to have had at least one case of small-pox during the voyage, which had not been properly isolated. The passengers thus exposed, it was found advisable to remove to Hoffman island for observation. Fourteen persons were transported from various ships to Hoffman island, during the year, for care and treatment, and these were all discharged well. The new tug boat, State of New York, built for the use of the Quarantine establishment, was placed in commission November 7, 1890. Her cost was $25,000. The appropriation made by the Legislature was $25,000. In the last annual report of the board there was a balance reported on hand, December 31, 1890, to the credit of the crematory fund, of $2,525.92. Out of this sum $1,266.93 has been paid, and vouchers therefor have been properly audited and filed with the Comptroller, leaving, December 31, 1891, to the credit of the commissioners, on account of this fund, $1,258.99. Of the entire appropriation of $20,000, their remained in the Comptroller's hands and lapsed to the State, $1,500. The commissioners also have in bank to their credit the sum of $404.15, derived from the sale of old material. All the property of the State in the custody of the Commissioners of Quarantine is in excellent order, and ready for such service as may be required. The commission created by chapter 270 of the Laws of 1888, in their annual report, give the details of repairs and additions made, within the year, to the various properties. Daily meetings of the commissioners were held during the quarantine season, and at such other times as became necessary. The office of the commissioners has been open on every business day throughout the year. The report of the Health Officer, giving interesting particulars of the workings of the department is herewith appended. GEO. W. ANDERSON, President. JOHN A. NICHOLS, CHAS. F. ALLEN, Commissioners of Quarantine. REPORT OF THE HEALTH OFFICER. To the Board of Quarantine Commissioners: GENTLEMEN.-I submit herewith my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1890. Five thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight vessels from foreign ports arrived at the New York Quarantine, and were inspected during the year. 1 Eighteen hundred and forty-two vessels arrived and were inspected from domestic ports south of Cape Henlopen, between April 30th and November 1st of the year 1890. The number of vessels inspected from foreign ports during the past year in excess of the previous year was 188. The number of vessels inspected from domestic ports during the period mentioned exceeded the number in 1889 by 101. Three hundred and seventy-one thousand five hundred and ninetythree steerage passengers were inspected, being 56,336 more than were inspected during the previous year. The least number inspected during the incumbency of the present Health Officer was 300,918 in 1886; the greatest number was 476,086 in 1882. The total number of steerage passengers inspected during the present Health Officer's administration (to January 1, 1891), is 4,010,400; being an average annually of 364,581. The number of developed cases on board vessels on arrival at Quarantine of those diseases that were formerly the only ones subject to Quarantine at the port of New York, to wit, small-pox, yellow fever, cholera and typhus fever, has been less than in any year since the great tide of immigration in 1880 began to enter the port of New York. By act of the Legislature of 1885 (chap. 534), scarlatina, diphtheria, measles and relapsing fever were made "quarantinable ' diseases; as also "any disease of a contagious, infectious or pestilential character, which shall be considered by the Health Officer, dangerous to the public health." The disposition of cases of the diseases named are singularly directed. by law. Section 24 of chapter 358, Laws of 1863, directs that "the |