International Sanitary Convention. Message From The President of The United States
International Sanitary Convention. Message From The President of The United States
International Sanitary Convention. Message From The President of The United States
I i
MESSAGE
FROM THE
February 18, 1913.—Read; convention i-ead tlie first time and inferred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations, and, together with the message and accom-
panying papers, ordered to be printed in confidence for the nse of the Senate.
February 19, 1913.—Ratified.
February 26, 1913.—Made public.
In Executive Session,
Senate
of the United States,
February 19, 1913.
Resolved (two-thirds of the Senators present concurring therein),
That the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of a conven-
tion between the United States and other powers, signed at Paris on
January 17. 1913, modifying the international sanitary convention
of December 3, 1903: Provided, That the Senate advise and consent
to the ratification of said convention with the understanding to be
expressed as a part of the instrument of ratification that nothing
contained in article 9 thereof shall be deemed to prevent the United
States from carrying out any special quarantine measures against
the infection of its ports which might be demanded by unusual sani-
tarv conditions.
To the Senate:
I transmit herewith, with a view to receiving the advice and con-
sent of the Senate to its ratification, a convention between the United
States and other powers, signed at Paris on January 17, 1913,
modifying the international sanitary convention of December 3, 1903.
The attention of the Senate is invited to the recommendation made
by the Secretary of the Treasury and shared in bv the Secretary of
State that in giving its advice and consent to the ratification of the
convention the Senate will do so with the reservation that nothing “
The President:
I have the honor to submit herewith, with a view to its transmis-
sion to the Senate to receive the advice and consent of that body to
its ratification, a convention between the United States and other
powers, signed at Paris on January 17, 1912, modifying the inter-
national sanitary convention signed on December 3, 1903.
I have also the honor to inclose, for the information of the Senate,
correspondence between the Department of State and the Treasury
Department, showing the wish of the Treasury Department, in which
I share, that the Senate, in giving its advice and consent to the ratifi-
cation of the convention, will do so with the reservation that noth-
“
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Washington. January 17,1913.
The Secretary of State,
Washington.
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your letter of May 27, 1912,
inclosing a copy of the French text of the convention signed at Paris
on January 17, 1912, modifying the international sanitary convention
of December 3, 1903.
This convention has been carefully examined by the Bureau of
Public Health Service, under this department, with a view of rec-
ommending the submission of the convention to receive the advice
and consent of the United States Senate to its ratification. The
translation forwarded with your letter lias also been carefully read
and compared with the copy of the text in French, but the following
comments are made solely upon the text of the translation of the
convention.
The department is advised by the Bureau of Public Health Service
that, with the exception of two general conditions, this convention
is recommended for ratification by the United States Senate. These
two general conditions relate to article 9, the objection to which is
the uncertain phraseology of the second paragraph thereof, with
especial reference to the words “that the measures against rats have
been executed, and, in case of yellow fever, that the precautions
against mosquitoes have been taken.”
It is assumed that the “measures” and “precautions” referred to
in the above could extend over variable lengths of time, according to
the conditions existing in ports to which the paragraph might be-
come at any time applicable. It is a fact so well understood by sani-
tary science that rodent infection may exist for a long time after
the disappearance of cases of human plague, and also that infected
yellow-fever mosquitoes may abound in the absence of actual cases
of yellow fever, that the department has been forced, in order to
international sanitary convention. 3
protect the United States from the infection of plague and yellow
fever, to make provisions in its quarantine regulations which have
been lately challenged as a violation of the Paris convention.
The department is convinced that two or more important ports
received the infection of plague during the past summer from cer-
tain other ports in which rodent infection probably existed and was
not recognized by the local sanitary authorities. To meet such a
situation there should be specific provisions in the treaty for the
carrying out, on the part of an individual government, of any special
quarantine measures against the infection of its ports which might be
demanded by unusual sanitary conditions.
The department has assumed that paragraph 2 of article 9 con-
tains the necessary breadth of signification to admit of the appli-
cation of its special regulations without violating the treaty, and if
it could be decided that the necessary latitude is intended by the
phraseology of paragraph 2 of article 9 there would be no occa-
sion for hesitation in subscribing to the treaty as a whole.
However, on account of the fact that one of the nations signatory
to this convention has lately taken the position that certain regula-
tions promulgated by this department are in violation of article 9,
it appears necessary that the said article 9, especially the second para-
graph thereof, be reviewed, in order that its meaning may be defined
for the purposes under consideration. In other words, if any one of
the nations interested is to be placed in the position of violating the
treaty by the carrying out of special measures against the introduc-
tion of infected rats or mosquitoes from infected or suspected
“ ” “ ”
foreign ports, it would appear that such nation would cause the least
amount of embarrassment in the long run by withdrawing as a sig-
natory until the treaty was interpreted or modified, so that its terms
could be consistently complied with.
Accordingly, the department recommends that the advice and con-
sent of the United States to the ratification of the treaty be post-
poned until the objection above referred to is adjusted.
Respectfully,
J. F. Curtis, Acting Secretary.
Department of State,
Washington, Januarg 27,1913.
The Secretary of the Treasury.
Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 1Tth instant, by which this department is advised of the result
of the examination given by the Bureau of Public Health Service to
the international sanitary convention signed at Paris on January 17,
1912, modifying the international sanitary convention of December 3,
1903.
It appears that the Bureau of Public Health Service raises objec-
tion to genera] conditions in article 9 of the convention, viz, the un-
certain phraseology of the second paragraph of the said article, with
especial reference to the words “that the measures against rats have
been executed, and, in case of yellow fever, that the precautions
against mosquitoes have been taken.”
These provisions, on account of the fact that one of the nations
signatory to this convention has lately taken the position that certain
4 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
Treasury Department,
Washington, February 5, 1013.
The Secretary of State,
Washington.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
January 27, which refers to a letter from this department, dated Jan-
uary 17, advising you of the result of the examination made by the
Bureau of Public Health Service of the international sanitary con-
vention signed at Paris on January 17, 1012, which modified the inter-
national sanitary convention of December 3, 1003.
In reply to your inquire as to whether the objection of this depart-
ment to the submission of the treaty to the Senate might not be over-
come by recommending to the Senate that in giving its advice and
consent to the ratification of the convention it do so with the reserva-
tion that nothing contained in article 9 thereof shall be understood
or construed as preventing the United States from carrying out any
special quarantine measures against the infection of its ports which
might be demanded by unusual sanitary conditions, you are informed
that the department believes that the ratification by the Senate of
the convention, with the reservation above outlined, would produce
the desired result.
Respectfully, Franklin MacVeagh,
Secretary.
[Translation.]
A. CLASSIFICATION OF VESSELS.
Art. 22. Ships infected with plague shall be subjected to the fol-
lowing measures:
1. Medical inspection.
2. The patients shall be immediately landed and isolated.
3. All persons who have been in contact with the patients and
those whom the health authority of the port has reason to consider
suspicious shall be landed if possible. They may be subjected either
to observation, 1 or to surveillance, 2 or to observation followed by sur-
veillance, and the total duration of these measures shall not exceed
five days from the date of arrival.
It is within the discretion of the health authority of the port to
apply whichever of these measures appears preferable to him accord-
ing to the date of the last case, the condition of the vessel, and the
local possibilities.
4. The soiled linen, wearing apparel, and other articles of the
crew 8 and passengers which are considered by the health authority
as being contaminated shall be disinfected.
1 By observation is meant the isolation of the passengers, either on board a vessel or
“ ”
diately obtain pratique, but that the attention of the authorities is called to them wherever
they go and that they are subjected to a medical examination to ascertain the state of
their health.
3 The term “
crew is applied to all persons who form or have formed part of the crew
”
c) The parts of the vessel and the articles which the health au-
thority considers to be contaminated shall be disinfected.
d) The passengers and crew may be subjected to a surveillance
whose duration shall not exceed five days from the date of arrival.
II. Vessels on which an unusual mortality among rats is dis-
covered :
a) Medical inspection.
b) An examination of the rats with regard to the plague shall be
made as far and as quicldv as possible.
c) If the destruction of the rats is deemed necessary, it shall take
place under the conditions indicated above for vessels with plague-
stricken rats.
d) Until all suspicion is removed, the passengers and crew may be
subjected to a surveillance whose duration shall not exceed five days
from the date of arrival.
Art. 26. It is recommended that vessels be periodically rid of their
rats, the operation to take place at least once every six months. The
health officer of the port in which the rat ridding operation is per-
formed shall deliver to the captain, owner, or agent, whenever request
is made therefor, a certificate showing the date of the operation, the
port where it was performed, and the method employed.
It is recommended that the health authorities of ports at which
vessels stop which practice periodical rat ridding keep account of the
aforementioned certificates in determining the measures to be taken,
especially as regards the provisions of No. 3 of the 2d paragraph of
article 24.
C. MEASURES CONCERNING CHOLERA.
1. Medical inspection.
2. The patients shall be landed under such conditions that they
will be protected from mosquito bites, and duly isolated.
3. The other persons may likewise be landed and subjected, from
the date of arrival, to an observation or surveillance not exceeding
six days.
4. Vessels shall anchor, as far as possible, at a distance of 200
meters from the shore.
5. If possible, the mosquitos on board shall be exterminated be-
fore the cargo is discharged. If this is impossible, all necessanr
measures shall be taken in order that the persons employed in dis-
charging the cargo may not be infected. These persons shall be sub-
jected to a surveillance not to exceed six days from the time they
cease to work on board.
Art. 31. Vessels suspected of yellow fever shall be subjected to the
measures indicated under Nos. i, 4, and 5 of the preceding article.
Moreover, the crew and passengers may be subjected to a surveil-
lance not to exceed six days from the date of arrival of the vessel.
Art. 32. Vessels uninfected with yellow fever shall be granted
pratique immediately after medical inspection, whatever be the
nature of their bill of health.
Art. 33. The measures contemplated in articles 30 and 31 do not
concern the countries in which stegomya exist. In other countries
INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION. 17
they shall be applied to the extent deemed necessar}7 by the medical
authorities.
E. PROVISIONS COMMON TO ALL THREE DISEASES.
showing the date of their arrival and the measures to which they
and their baggage have been subjected.
Art. 40. Coasting vessels shall be subjected to special measures to
be established by mutual agreement among the countries concerned.
Art. 41. The Governments of Riparian Nations on the same sea
may conclude special agreements among themselves, taking into
account their special situations and in order to render more effective
and less annoying the application of the sanitary measures provided
by the Convention.
Art. 42. It is desirable that the number of ports provided with a
sufficient organization and equipment to receive a vessel, whatever be
her sanitary condition, should, in the case of each Nation, be in pro-
portion to the importance of traffic and navigation. However, and
without prejudice to the rights of the Governments to agree on or-
ganizing common sanitary stations, each country should provide at
least one of the ports on the coast line of each of its seas with such
an organization and equipment.
Moreover, it is recommended that all great ports of maritime navi-
gation be equipped in such a way that at least uninfected vessels may
undergo the prescribed sanitary measures therein as soon as they
arrive and not be sent to another port for this purpose.
The Governments shall make known the ports which are open in
their country to arrivals from ports contaminated with plague,
cholera, and yellow fever, and particularly those which are open to
infected or suspicious vessels.
Art. 43. It is recommended that there be established in large mari-
time ports:
a) A regular medical service of the port and a permanent medical
surveillance of the sanitary conditions of the crews and the inhab-
itants of the port.
b) Means for the transportation of patients and places set apart
for their isolation and for the observation of suspected persons.
c) The necessary plants for efficient disinfection, and bacterio-
logical laboratories.
d) A supply of drinking wT ater beyond suspicion for the use of
the port, and a system affording all possible security for carrying off
refuge and sewage.
Art. 44. It is also recommended that the Contracting Nations take
into account, in the treatment to be accorded the arrivels from a coun-
try, the measures taken by the latter for combating infectious diseases
and for preventing their exportation.
SECTION IV. MEASURES ON LAND FRONTIERS TRAVELERS RAILROADS
FRONTIER ZONES RIVER ROUTES.
Art. 54. Every person, including the members of the crew, who
takes passage on board a vessel shall, at the time of embarcation, be
examined individually in the daytime on shore, for the necessary
length of time, by a physician delegated by the public authority.
The consular authority of the nation to which the vessel belongs
may be present at this examination.
As an exception to this stipulation, the medical examination may
take place on shipboard at Alexandria and Port Said, when the local
health authority deems it expedient, provided that the third-class pas-
sengers shall not be permitted to leave the vessel. This medical
examination may be made at night in the case of first and second
(lass passengers but not of third-class passengers.
20 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
A. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO ORDINARY VESSELS HAILING FROM THE SOUTH AND
APPEARING IN PORTS OF THE RED SEA OR BOUND TOWARD THE MEDITERRANEAN.
’
22 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
days; if only three days have elapsed, the observation period shall
be four days; and if only two days or one day has elapsed, the ob-
servation period shall be five days.
b) Vessels with a physician and a disinfecting apparatus (cham-
ber) on board shall be stopped at Moses Spring. The ship’s physi-
cian must declare, under oath, what persons on board show symptoms
of plague or cholera. These patients shall be landed and isolated.
After the landing of these patients, the soiled linen of the rest of
the passengers which the health authority may consider dangerous,
as well as that of the crew, shall undergo disinfection on board.
When plague or cholera shall have appeared exclusively among
the crew, the disinfection of the linen shall be limited to the soiled
linen of the crew and the linen of the living apartments of the crew.
The ship’s physician shall indicate also, under oath, the part or
compartment of the vessel and the section of the hospital in which
the patient or patients have been transported. He shall also declare,
under oath, what persons have been in contact with the plague or
cholera patient since the first manifestation of the disease, either di-
rectly or through contact with objects which might be contaminated.
Such persons alone shall be considered as suspects.
The part or compartment of the vessel and the section of the hos-
pital in which the patient or patients have been transported shall be
thoroughly disinfected. By “part of the ship” shall be meant the
cabin of the patient, the neighboring cabins, the corridor on which
these cabins are located, the deck, and the parts of the deck where
the patients have been.
If it is impossible to disinfect the part or compartment of the
vessel which has been occupied by the persons stricken with plague
or cholera without landing the persons declared suspects, these per-
sons shall be either placed in another vessel specially designated for
this purpose or landed and lodged in the sanitary establishment
without coming in contact with the patients, who shall be placed in
the hospital.
The duration of this stay on the vessel or on shore shall be as
short as possible and shall not exceed twenty-four hours.
The suspects shall undergo, either on their vessel or on the vessel
designated for this purpose, an observation period whose duration
shall vary according to the cases and under the conditions provided
in the third paragraph of subdivision a).
The time taken up by the prescribed operations shall be comprised
in the duration of the observation period.
The passage through in quarantine may be allowed before the
expiration of the periods indicated above if the health authority
deems it possible. It shall at all events be granted when the disin-
fection has been completed, if the vessel leaves behind not only its
patients but also the persons indicated above as suspects.”
“
Art. TO. The health authority of Suez shall grant the passage
through in quarantine, and the Board shall be immediately informed
thereof.
Doubtful cases shall be decided by the Board.
Art. 71. As soon as the permit provided for in the preceding ar-
ticle is granted, a telegram shall be sent to the authority designated
by each Power, the dispatch of the telegram being at the expense of
the vessel.
Art. 72. Each Power shall establish penalties against vessels which
abandon the route indicated by the captain and unduly approach
one of the ports within its territory, cases of vis major and enforced
sojourn being excepted.
Art. 73. Upon a vessel’s being spoken, the captain shall be obliged
to declare whether he has on board any gangs of native stokers or
of wage-earning employees of any description who are not inscribed
on the crew list or the register kept for this purpose.
The following questions in particular shall be asked the captains
of all vessels arriving at Suez from the south, and shall be answered
under oath:
“Have you any helpers (stokers or other workmen) not inscribed
on your crew list or on the special register? What is their nation-
ality? Where did you embark them?
”
Art. 76. Vessels passing through in quarantine shall make the trip
from Suez to Port Said without putting into dock.
In case of stranding or of being compelled to put into dock, the
necessary operations shall be performed by the personnel on board,
INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION. 25
sill communications with the employees of the Suez Canal Company
being avoided.
Art. 77. When troops are conveyed through the canal on sus-
picious or infected vessels passing through in quarantine, the trip
shall be made in the daytime only. If it is necessary to stop at night
in the canal, the vessels shall anchor in Lake Timsah or the Great
Lake.
Art. 78. Vessels passing through in quarantine are forbidden to
stop in the harbor of Port Said except in the cases contemplated in
articles 75 (paragraph 2) and 75.
The. supply and preparation of food on board vessels shall be
effected with the means at hand on the vessels.
Stevedores or any other persons who may have gone on board
shall be isolated on the quarantine lighter. Their clothing shall
there undergo disinfection as per regulations.
Art. 79. When it is absolutely necessary for vessels passing through
in quarantine to take on coal at Port Said, they shall perform this
operation in a locality affording the necessary facilities for isolation
and sanitary surveillance, to be selected by the Board of Health.
When it is possible to maintain a strict supervision on board the ves-
sel and to prevent all contact with the persons on board, the coaling
of the vessel by the workmen of the port may be permitted. At night
the place where the coaling is done should be illuminated by electric
lights.
Art. 80. The pilots, electricians, agents of the Company, and san-
itary guards shall be put off at Port Said outside of the port between
the jetties and thence conducted directly to the quarantine lighter,
where their clothing shall undergo disinfection when deemed nec-
essary.
Art. 81. The war vessels hereinafter specified shall enjoy the ben-
efits of the following provisions when passing through the Suez
Canal:
They shall be recognized by the quarantine authority as uninfected
upon the production of a certificate issued by the physicians on board,
c unter-igned bv the commanding officer, and affirming under oath:
a) That there has not been any case of plague or cholera on board
either at the time of departure or during the passage.
b) That a careful examination of all persons on board, without
any exception, has been made less than twelve hours before the arrival
in the Egyptian port, and that it revealed no case of these diseases.
These vessels shall be exempted from the medical examination and
immediately receive pratique, provided a period of five full days has
elapsed since their departure from the last infected port.
Tn case the required period has not elapsed, the vessels may pass
through the canal in quarantine without undergoing the medical ex-
amination, provided they present the above-mentioned certificate to
the quarantine authorities.
The quarantine authorities shall nevertheless have a right to cause
their agents to perform the medical examination on board war ves-
sels whenever they deem it necessary.
Suspicious or infected war vessels shall be subjected to the regu-
lations in force.
Only fighting units shall be considered as war vessels, transports
and hospital ships falling under the category of ordinary vessels.
26 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
Art. 94. The vessel must be able to lodge pilgrims between decks.
Outside of the crew, the vessel shall furnish to every individual,
whatever be his age, a surface of 1.5 square meters (16 English square
feet) with a height between decks of about 1.8 meters.
On vessels engaged in coasting trade each pilgrim shall have at
his disposal a space of at least 2 meters wide along the gunwales of
the vessel.
Art. 95. On each side of the vessel, on deck, there shall be re-
served a place screened from view and provided with a hand pump
so as to furnish sea water for the needs of the pilgrims. One such
place shall be reserved exclusively for women.
Art. 96. In addition to the water closets for the use of the crew,
the vessel shall be provided with latrines flushed with water or pro-
vided with a stop cock, in the proportion of at least, one latrine for
every 100 persons embarked.
There shall be latrines reserved exclusively for women.
There shall be no water closets between decks or within the hold.
Art. 97. The vessel shall have two places arranged for private
cooking by the pilgrims, who shall be forbidden to make a fire else-
where and especially on deck.
Art. 98. Infirmaries properly arranged with regard to safety and
sanitary conditions shall be reserved for lodging the sick.
They shall be so arranged as to be capable of isolating, according
to the kind of disease, persons stricken with transmissible ailments.
The infirmaries shall be able to receive at least 5 per cent of the
pilgrims embarked, allowing at least 3 square kilometers per head.
Art. 99. Every vessel shall have on board the medicines, disin-
fectants, and articles necessary for the care of the sick. The regula-
tions made for this kind of vessels by each Government shall deter-
28 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
mine the nature and quantity of the medicines. 1 The care and the
remedies shall be furnished free of charge to the pilgrims.
Art. 100. Every vessel embarking pilgrims shall have on board
a physician holding a regular diploma and commissioned by the
Government of the country to which the vessel belongs or by the
Government of the pert in which the vessel takes pilgrims on board.
A second physician shall be embarked as soon as the number of
pilgrims carried by the vessel exceeds one thousand.
Art. 101. The captain shall be obliged to have handbills posted on
board in a position which is conspicuous and accessible to those in-
terested. They shall be in the principal languages of the countries
inhabited by the pilgrims embarked, and show:
1. The destination of the vessel.
2. The price of the tickets.
3. The daily ration of water and food allowed to each pilgrim.
4. A price list of victuals not comprised in the daily ration and
to be paid for extra.
Apt. 102. The heavy baggage of the pilgrims shall be registered,
numbered, and placed in the hold. The pilgrims shall keep with
them only such articles as are absolutely necessary, the regulations
made by each Government for its vessels determining the nature,
quantity, and dimensions thereof.
Art. 103. The provisions of Chapters I, II (sections I, II, and
III), and III of the present Title shall be posted, in the form of
regulations, in the language of the nationality of the vessel as well
as in the principal languages of the countries inhabited by the pil-
grims embarked, in a conspicuous and accessible place on each deck
and between decks on every vessel carrying pilgrims.
forbidden.
e) That the vessel lias a distilling apparatus capable of producing
at least 5 liters of water per head each day for every person em-
barked, including the crew.
f) That the vessel has a disinfecting chamber whose safety and
efficiency have been ascertained by the health authority of the port
of embarkation of the pilgrims.
g) That the crew comprises a physician holding a diploma and
commissioned 1 either by the Government of the country to which
the vessel belongs or by the Government of the port where the vessel
takes on pilgrims, and that the vessel has a supply of medicines, all
in conformity with articles 99 and 100.
h) That the deck of the vessel is free from all cargo and other
incumbrances.
i) That the arrangements of the vessel are such that the measures
prescribed bv Section III hereinafter may be executed.
Art. 107. The captain shall not sail until he has in his possession:
1. A list viseed by the competent authority and showing the name,
sex. and total number of the pilgrims whom he is authorized to
embark.
2. A bill of health setting forth the name, nationality, and tonnage
of the vessel, the name of the captain and of the physician, the exact
number of persons embarked (crew, pilgrims, and other passengers),
the nature of the cargo, and the port of departure.
The competent authority shall indicate on the bill of health whether
the number of pilgrims allowed by the regulations is reached or not,
and, in case it is not reached, the additional number of passengers
which the vessel is authorized to embark in subsequent ports of call.
SECTION III. MEASURES TO BE TAKEN DURING THE PASSAGE.
Art. 108. The deck shall remain free from encumbering objects
during the voyage and shall be reserved day and night for the per-
sons on board and be placed gratuitously at their service.
1 Exception is made for governments which have no commissioned physicians.
30 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
Art. 109. Every day the space between decks should be cleaned
carefully and scrubbed with dry sand mixed with disinfectants while
the pilgrims are on deck.
Art. 110. The latrines intended for the passengers as well as those
for the crew should be kept neat and be cleansed and disinfected
three times a day.
Art. 111. The excretions and dejections of persons showing symp-
toms of plague or cholera shall be collected in vessels containing a
disinfecting solution. These vessels shall be emptied into the latrines,
which shall be thoroughly disinfected after each flushing.
Art. 112. Articles of bedding, carpets, and clothing which have
been in contact with the patients mentioned in the preceding article
shall be immediately disinfected. The observance of this rule is
especially enjoined with regard to the clothing of persons who come
near to these patients and who may have become contaminated.
Such of the articles mentioned above as have no value shall be
thrown overboard, if the vessel is neither in a port nor a canal, or
else destroyed bv fire. The others shall be carried to the disinfecting
chamber in impermeable sacks washed with a disinfecting solution.
Art. 118. The quarters occupied by the patients and referred to
in article 98 shall be thoroughly disinfected.
Art. 114. Pilgrim ships shall be compelled to submit to disinfect-
ing operations in conformity with the regulations in force on the
subject in the country whose flag they fly.
Art. 115. The quantity of drinking water allowed daily to each
pilgrim free of charge, whatever be his age, shall be at least 5 liters.
Art. 116. If there is any doubt about the quality of the drinking
water or any possibility of its contamination either at the place of
its origin or during the course of the voyage, the water shall be
boiled or otherwise sterilized and the captain shall be obliged to
throw it overboard at the first port in which a stop is made and in
which he is able to procure a better supply.
Art. 117. The physician shall examine the pilgrims, attend the
patients, and see that the rules of hygiene are observed on board.
He shall especially:
1. Satisfy himself that the provisions dealt out to the pilgrims are
of good quality, that their quantity is in conformity with the obliga-
tions assumed, and that they are suitably prepared.
2. Satisfy himself that' the requirements of article 115 relative to
the distribution of water are observed.
3. If there is any doubt about the quality of the drinking water,
remind the captain in writing of the provisions of article 116.
4. Satisfy himself that the vessel is maintained in a constant state
of cleanliness, and especially that the latrines are cleansed in ac-
cordance with the provisions of article 110.
5. Satisfy himself that the lodgings of the pilgrims are maintained
in a healthful condition, and that, in case of transmissible disease,
they are disinfected in conformity with articles 113 and 114.
6. Keep a diary of all the sanitary incidents occurring during the
course of the voyage and present this diary to the competent au-
thority of the port of arrival.
Art. 118. The persons intrusted with the care of the plague or
cholera patients shall alone have access to them and shall have no
contact with the other persons on board.
INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION. 31
Art. 119. In case of a death occurring during the voyage, the
captain shall make note of the death opposite the name on the list
viseed by the authority of the port of departure, besides entering on
his journal the name of the deceased person, his age, where he comes
from, the presumable cause of his death according to the physician’s
certificate, and the date of the death.
In case of death by a transmissible disease, the body shall be
wrapped in a shroud saturated with a disinfecting solution and
thrown overboard.
Art. 120. The captain shall see that all the prophylactic measures
executed during the voyage are recorded in the ship’s journal. This
journal shall be presented to him by the competent authority of the
port of arrival.
In each port of call the captain shall have the list prepared in ac-
cordance with article 107 viseed by the competent authority.
In case a pilgrim is landed during the course of the voyage, the
captain shall note the fact on the list opposite the name of the pil-
grim.
In case of an embarkation, the persons embarked shall be mentioned
on this list in conformity with the aforementioned article 107 and
before it is viseed again by the competent authority.
Art. 121. The bill of health delivered at the port of departure
shall not be changed during the course of the voyage.
It shall be viseed by the health authority of each port of call, who
shall note thereon:
1. The number of passengers landed or embarked in the port.
2. The incidents occurring at sea and affecting the health or life
of the persons on board.
3. The sanitary condition of the port of call.
Art. 122. Pilgrim ships hailing from the south and bound for
Hedjaz shall first stop at the sanitary station of Camaran, where
they shall be subjected to the measures prescribed in articles 123
to 125.
Art. 123. Vessels recognized as uninfected after a medical inspec-
tion shall obtain pratique when the following operations are com-
pleted :
The pilgrims shall be landed, take a shower or sea bath, and their
soiled linen and the part of their wearing apparel and baggage which
appears suspicious in the opinion of the health authority shall be
disinfected. The duration of these operations, including debarkation
and embarkation, shall not exceed forty-eight hours.
If no real or suspected case of plague or cholera is discovered dur-
ing these operations, the pilgrims shall be reembarked immediately
and the vessel shall proceed toward Hedjaz.
For plague, the provisions of articles 23 and 21 shall be applied
with regard to the rats which may be found on board the vessels.
32 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
Art. 129. Every vessel bound for Suez or for a Mediterranean port,
having on board pilgrims or similar masses of persons, and hailing
from a port of Hedjaz or from any other port on the Arabian coast
of the Red Sea, must repair to Tor in order to undergo there the
observation and the sanitarv measures indicated in articles 133 and
135.
Art. 130. Vessels bringing Mussulman pilgrims back toward the
Mediterranean shall pass through the canal in quarantine only.
Art. 131. The agents of navigation companies and captains are
warned that, after completing their observation period at the sani-
tary station of Tor, the Egyptian pilgrims will alone be permitted
to leave the vessel permanently in order to return thereupon to their
homes.
Only those pilgrims will be recognized as Egyptians or as residents
of Egypt who are provided with a certificate of residence issued by
an Egyptian authority and conforming to the established model.
Samples of this certificate shall be deposited with the consular and
health authorities of Djeddah and Yambo, where the agents and cap-
tains of vessels can examine them.
Pilgrims other than Egyptians, such as Turks, Russians, Persians,
Tunisians, Algerians, Moroccans, etc., can not be landed in an
Egyptian port after leaving Tor. Consequently, navigation agents
and captains are warned that the transshipment of pilgrims not resi-
dents of Egypt at Tor, Suez, Port Said, or Alexandria is forbidden.
Vessels having pilgrims on board who belong to the nationalities
mentioned in the foregoing paragraph shall be subject to the rules
applicable to these pilgrims and shall not be received in any Egyptian
port of the Mediterranean.
• Art. 132. Before being granted pratique, Egyptian pilgrims shall
undergo an abservation of three days and a medical examination at
Tor, Souakim, or any other station designated by the Board of
Health of Egypt.
34 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
Art. 157. The proceeds from the sanitary taxes and fines shall in
no case be employed for objects other than those within the scope of
the Boards of Health.
Art. 158. The High Contracting Parties agree to have a set of
instructions prepared bv their health departments for the purpose of
enabling captains of vessels, especially when there is no physician on
board, to enforce the provisions contained in the present convention
with regard to plague, cholera, and yellow fever.
Title V. Adhesions and Ratifications.
Airr. 159. The Governments which have not signed the present con-
vention shall be permitted to adhere thereto upon request. Notice of
38 international sanitary
convention.
APPENDICES.
Appendix I.
taminated countries.
Art. 1. If an Egyptian Railroad Administration desires a quaran-
tine train to connect with vessels arriving from contaminated ports,
it shall notify the local quarantine authority at least two hours be-
fore departure.
Art. 2. The passengers shall land at the place indicated by the
quarantine authority, with the consent of the Railroad Administra-
tion and the Egyptian Government, and shall pass directly and with-
40 INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION.
out any communication from the vessel to the train, under the super-
vision of a transit officer and of two or more sanitary guards.
Art. 3. The personal effects, baggage, etc., of the "passengers shall
be transported in quarantine with the means at the disposal of the
vessel.
Art. 4. The agents of the railroad shall be obliged to obey the or-
ders of the transit officer as regards the quarantine measures.
Art. 5. The cars assigned to this service shall be longitudinal-aisle
cars. A sanitary guard shall be placed in each car and shall have
supervision over the passengers. The agents of the railroad shall
have no communication with the passengers.
A physician of the quarantine service shall accompany the train.
Art. 6. The heavy baggage of the passengers shall be placed in a
special car to be sealed at the departure of the train by the transit
officer. Upon arrival, the seals shall be withdrawn by the transit
officer.
Any transshipment or embarkation during the trip shall be pro-
hibited.
Art. 7. The closets shall be provided with cans containing a cer-
tain quantity of antiseptic for receiving the dejections of the pas-
sengers.
Art. 8. The platforms of the stations where the train is obliged to
stop shall be completely vacated, except by such agents of the service
as are absolutely indispensable.
Art. 9. Each train may have a dining car. The leavings of the
tables shall be destroyed. The employees of this car as well as the
other employees of the railroad who have for any reason come in con-
tact with the passengers shall be subjected to the same treatment as
the pilots and electricians at Port Said and Suez or to such measures
as the Board may deem necessary.
Art. 10. The passengers shall be absolutely prohibited from throw-
ing anything out of the windows, doors, etc.
Art. 11. In each train an infirmary compartment shall remain
empty in order that any persons falling ill may be isolated therein.
This compartment shall be arranged according to the directions of
the Quarantine Board.
If a case of plague or cholera should appear among the passengers,
the patient shall be immediately isolated in the special compartment.
Upon the arrival of the train this patient shall be transferred at once
to the quarantine lazaretto. The other passengers shall continue their
voyage in quarantine.
Art. 12. If a case of plague or cholera should appear during the
trip, the train shall be disinfected by the quarantine authority.
At all events, the cars which have contained the baggage and the
mails shall be disinfected immediately after the arrival of the train.
Art. 13. The transshipment from the train to the boat shall be ac-
complished in the same way as at arrival. The boat receiving the
passengers shall be immediately placed in quarantine and mention
shall be made on the bill of health of the accidents which may have
occurred en route, those persons who may have been in contact with
the patients being specially designated.
Art. 14. The expenses incurred by the quarantine administration
shall be borne by the party asking for the quarantine.
INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION. 41
Art. 15. The President of the Board, or his substitute, shall have a
right to watch over the train during its whole trip.
The President may, moreover, set a superior employee (besides the
transit officer and the guards) to watch over said train.
This employee shall have access to the train upon mere presenta-
tion of an order signed by the President.
Appendix IT.
(See Art. 153.)
with article 5 to the present decree, shall be deducted from the sum
of 40,000 pounds Egyptian provided for in the letters annexed to
the Commercial Conventions concluded between Egypt and said
Governments.
Art. 9. Our Minister of Finance is charged with the enforcement
of the present decree.
Done at the Palace of Koubbeh, December 25, 1891.
Abbas Kilmi.
By the Khedive:
N. Nubar,
Head of the Cabinet.
Aiimer Mazloum,
Minister of Finance.
Boutros Ghali,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
BUREAU OF ACCOUNTS.
The agents charged with the collection of the dues must conform,
as regards the guarantees to be given, the keeping of the documents,
the time of payments, and in general everything relating to the finan-
cial part of their service, to the regulations issued by the Ministry of
Finance.
Art. 23. The expenses of the Sanitary, Maritime, and Quarantine
Service shall be defrayed with the means at the disposal of the Board
itself, or, with the consent of the Ministry of Finance, from such
fund as the latter may designate.
Cairo, June 19, 1893.
Kiaz.