common house flies, and mosquitoes; and the dirt and filth, noise and smoke necessarily connected with a building situated in a railroad yard. The schedule of passenger trains necessitates the medical officer being on duty from 12 to 14 hours at the office every day. CALEXICO, CAL. Acting Asst. Surg. A. L. Rice reports that during the fiscal year just ended 1,051 aliens were examined, the great majority of them being Mexicans. Fifty cases were certified for deportation, 16 for syphilis, 5 for gonorrhea, 2 for chancroid, 6 for tuberculosis, 2 for trachoma, and 1 for insanity. There were 18 others, ranging over 14 different afflictions of lesser degree. The feature of the year's work was the remarkable increase in the number of aliens examined, the number being more than double that of the previous year. The physical and mental standard of the incoming alien was also above the average. DEL RIO, TEX. Acting Asst. Surg. H. B. Ross reports as follows: Immigration inspection at this port is performed at the international ferry situated about 3 miles from Del Rio. Conditions in Mexico have not been so much disturbed as last year and the traffic has been more uniform. When the new immigration law went into effect the literacy test caused some friction but is now the source of less objection. During the year a total of 3,579 immigrants were inspected, of which number 31 were certified on account of disease or mental or physical defect. Of this number 23 were certified for trachoma. DETROIT, MICH. Acting Asst. Surg. K. L. Weber reports as follows: For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1917, there were examined at this port 6,844 aliens. Of the number examined 5,888 were passed and 956 were certified as follows: Class A (1), 53; class A (2), 39; class B, 519; class C, 345. Aliens arrived at this port daily via 19 trains over 4 railroad lines, 2 ferryboat lines arriving every 10 minutes, and by lake passenger steamers. In addition to the inspection of arriving aliens, the medical officer at this port renders medical aid to the United States immigration prisoners detained at the various hospitals, jails, and detention homes, and also examines aliens in and around Detroit who have become public charges, to determine if their condition is a result of causes existing prior to landing in this country. During the year there were two medical boards convened for the reexamination of aliens-one by bureau order and one at the request of the medical officer. DULUTH, MINN. Acting Asst. Surg. F. L. Cheney reports as follows: During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917, 139 boats arrived at the port of Duluth and 3,480 passengers were examined. Of this number 42 were found to have some physical defect or disease. Five were ordered deported, but 2 died before the time of deportation; all of these were in class A. The remainder were divided as follows: 7 in class B and 32 in class C. In comparison to the past years the one just ended shows a marked dropping off in the total number of aliens arriving and the lowest in deportations. Considering the unusual conditions with Canada interning all alien enemy and allowing but few of her own citizens the privilege of leaving her borders, the marked reduction is readily accounted for. A striking fact is that 31 of the 42 certified were going to Rochester, Minn., for medical treatment. EAGLE PASS, TEX. Asst. Surg. C. R. Eskey, in charge, reports that during the past year 16,753 immigrants were examined at the immigration station. There were 140 certificates issued for physical and mental defects, divided under the following classes: Class A (1), 14; class A (2), 28; class B, 25; and class C, 73. During the last two months (May and June) immigration through this port has decreased to one-third of that in the previous months of the year. Practically no laborers are entering at present. The reduction is apparently due to the new immigration laws and to the migration of Mexicans back to Mexico. EASTPORT, IDAHO. Acting Asst. Surg. N. L. A. K. Slamberg reports as follows: Three thousand two hundred and fifty-nine immigrants were examined, an increase of 959 over the preceding fiscal year. Of these 2,847 were passed and 412 were certified, 5 in class A (1), 1 in class A (2), 394 in class B, and 12 in class C. Remodeling of the office building has been contemplated for some time, and is planned for the near future. Upon request of the inspector in charge the medical officer has outlined the changes desirable in order to facilitate the medical examination of aliens. The necessity of a modern plumbing system and of adequate illumination has been emphasized, and it is to be hoped that the new arrangement will result in an improvement. EL PASO, TEX. Asst. Surg. J. W. Tappan reports as follows: During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1917, there were examined at this station 44,289 immigrants, of which number 790 were certified as having physical or mental defects or disease. In addition, the increased facilities for enforcing the quarantine regulations has also resulted in improved opportunity for more careful immigration inspection. EVERETT, WASH. Acting Asst. Surg. James Chisholm reports as follows: The duties pertaining to this port embrace the medical inspection and examination of alien passengers and alien crews; the medical examination and inspection of apprehended immigrants who have gained surreptitious entry from Canada; and the medical examination and inspection of aliens applying for "nunc pro tunc" certificates of landing for naturalization purposes, who were not recorded at time of original entry by immigration officials. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1917, 1 steam vessel arrived from foreign port with 8 nonimmigrant alien passengers and 1 United States citizen passenger, all of whom were free from contagious and infectious disease. During the period mentioned above there were examined at this port 14 immigrants, 6 of whom were in re naturalization, 7 were deported, and 1 is pending. These were apprehended immigrants, having effected surreptitious entry from Canada. The above immigrants were free from any contagious or infectious disease. GALVESTON, TEX. Surg. L. P. H. Bahrenburg, in charge of the medical inspection of aliens, reports that during the fiscal year immigration was almost at a standstill as a result of the belligerent conditions in Europe and Mexico. A total of 331 aliens were examined, including 262 passengers (of the latter 121 were refugees from Mexico), 50 crew, 2 deserters, and 17 stowaways. Ten certificates were issued. No aliens were admitted to hospital during the year for treatment or observation. HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. Acting Asst. Surg. T. W. P. Flinn reports as follows: The work of the year has been characterized by the same conditions as to trans-Atlantic travel that have prevailed during previous years. There have, however, been several hundred returning seamen, horsemen, and cattlemen handled by this office last year, which, while requiring a great deal of time and attention, owing to conditions necessary for their examination, are not indicated in the annual report, this because of the fact that Halifax has been made a port for the examination of shipping under the control of the British Admiralty, enjoying a similar function to that of Kirkwall, England. In the majority of cases of seamen and other passengers bound to the United States the Canadian authorities regularly refuse permission to land in Canada unless admission to the United States is guaranteed by the United States Immigration Service. The percentage of medical certificates issued was slightly higher than that of the preceding year. A fraction of over 1 per cent were deported or returned to Canada. Of the 37 so deported, 14 were for mandatorily excludable diseases. Notwithstanding that since last January the Plant Steamship Line withdrew their steamships from the service between this port and Boston, there has been a notable increase in the number of aliens of the border class, thereby counterbalancing somewhat the decrease in the trans-Atlantic class. HIDALGO, TEX. Acting Asst. Surg. W. P. Woodall reports that during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1917, 5,704 aliens were examined for the immigration authorities, and of this number 507 were debarred. Chronic conjunctivitis was found to be the prevailing cause for certification. It is believed the undue prevalence of this disease during the summer and autumn was due to gnats and midges which invaded both sides of the river and was coincident with the existence of the affection. HONOLULU, HAWAII. Surg. F. E. Trotter reports as follows: A total of 4,552 immigrants was inspected at this port during the year ending June 30, 1917, and 329 were certified for diseases or disabilities in accordance with the immigration law. The majority of arriving aliens were Japanese, the remainder being Chinese and Koreans. The distribution of the medical certificates according to nationality was as follows: Japanese, 177 class A, 108 class B, and 20 class C; Chinese, 12 class A, 1 class B, and 0 class C; Koreans, 7 class A, 0 class B, and 0 class C; Russian, 0 class A, 1 class B, and 0 class C; Dutch, 1 class A, 0 class B, and 0 class C; Hindu, 0 class A, 1 class B, and 0 class C; Marshall Islander, 0 class A, 1 class B, and 0 class C. The largest of rejections was due to trachoma, and almost all of these were Japanese. The following are the districts from which aliens arrived from Japan who were found to be afflicted with trachoma, the figures in parenthesis representing the number of cases coming from the districts named: Kumamoto (37), Yamaguchi (34), Hiroshima (33), Fukuoka (20), Fukushima (11), Niigata (7), Okinawa (2), Wakayama (2), Toyama (1), Tokio (1), Fukui (1), Kanagawa (1). During the year 4,467 aliens were examined for uncinariasis and 22 were found to be afflicted with this disease, of which 20 were Japanese coming from the following-named districts in Japan: Hiroshima (5), Yamaguchi (4), Kumamoto (4), Fukuoka (3), Okinawa (2), Niigata (1), Wakayama (1). The number of aliens granted hospital treatment upon arrival here with a view to effecting a cure of the diseases and eventually permitting the cured aliens to land was a few more than during the previous year. Nearly all of those furnished treatment were afflicted with uncinariasis, it being the policy of the immigration authorities to permit the treatment of these cases almost without exception. The policy, however, does not apply to aliens afflicted with trachoma and other dangerous or loathsome contagious disease, such afflicted persons being deported as required by law. During the year three fines of $100 each have been imposed against steamship companies for violations of the provisions of section nine of the immigration law. Attendance at Queen's Hospital of aliens.-Three aliens were operated on at Queen's Hospital by medical officers of the service, while five aliens were treated in the hospital for various diseases. Number of aliens landed_ Number of aliens pending at close of year. Number of meetings of the medical board__ Number of examinations made for uncinariasis_ Number of aliens found infected with uncinariasis_ Number of aliens treated for other causes at station_ Number of aliens treated at hospital__ Number of operations performed__ Number of fines imposed--- Number of aliens treated for trachoma and discharged cured_ Number of aliens treated for uncinariasis and discharged cured_ |