THE QUARANTINE ISLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3335, 28 October 1873, Page 2

THE QUARANTINE ISLAND.

Yesterday, the Board of Health, accompanied by the Provincial Executive and several ladies and gentlemen, visited tin Quarantine Island to inspect the buildings and hospital, now nearly completed. On reaching Fort Chalmers, the party were con veyed to the island by the Peninsula steamer, but the tide being low it was necessary to bring hep to anchor a short distance from the landing place, and to land the visitors by boats. On a former occasion we wave a niinute description of tbe barrack and that portion of the hospital tuen erected. It was defective through' no arrangom n< having been made for clos ts or baths, nor for a nurse and medical attendant at tin hospital. Since then rooms have been added for these purpo-es. There is a large dispensary; an excellent kitchen, with cooking ap paratus complete ; two additional rooms, where a nurse and, in case of need, a medical attendant can bo accommodated ; hot and coll water and shower baths, and closets conveniently arranged. Tho contract was talfcn by Air Goodfellow, and carried out undeg the inspection of Mr David Miller, jun. 'I he rooms, as usual, through tho efforts of Mr Dougall, were scrupulously clean, and the Board expressed their satis taction with tho manner in which the works have been executed. The cost of them is 1,4,004 10s Gd. This sp’endid Quarantine station may now bo considered complete, with the exception of the disinfecting room, which is not only too small, but is so arranged that the air cannot be raised to a temperature sufficiently high to destroy the vitality of tbe infectious spores without endangering the destruction of wearing apparel, through being too near the heated tubes. The alternate expansion and contraction of the tubes, through heating and cooling, has also caused several to become disjointed, through slipping at the flanges, which are too shallow to permit the necessary play. The Board passed a resolution, recommending the General Government to have this most important apparatus properly c/?nstiv<Aed on a'sufficiently extended scale ; the necessity for 'which is' forced upon attention thpougfi ojue death having taken place up the count ry, iff" cppsenuence of disease conveyed iu clothes that could not be subjected to the disinfecting heat. The landing jetty is au excellent instance of what can he done through patient and continuous labor by one man Mr Dougall has carried it gs far as’ unaided bones and nm«cles cap do—,to e;;toud it farther without some safeguards, such as a few piles, would subject it to being washed away. A few day« ( labor and a few pounds expense alone are needed to make a commodious lauding place, and we dp pot JfpoV a lovelier'spot for an excursion than to Qnaran|;iQe Island, Although the wHh js not Ijhely t,o be realised, we may express it, that this pretty island may never be needed for any other purpose than for pleasure parties, and we do not doubt thp Bard of Health under proper regulations would allow summer trips to be made thither Refreshments were provided for the party yesterday on board the Peninsula, and after inspecting the arrangements, with which they much pleased, they reached Dimediii by that vessel about four o’clock.