Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/372

368

and a larger force would be able to do even better work. The immigrant hospital on Ellis Island during the year mentioned cared for 5,141 aliens, in addition to 720 cases of acute contagious disease which were transferred to the State Quarantine Hospital at the entrance to the harbor pending completion of the present excellent contagious disease hospital on Ellis Island. There is possibly no place in the United States where a similar variety of interesting and unusual cases can be seen as at the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital. Drawn from every race, nation and climate, one can see there all the usual varieties of disease and, in addition, peculiar tropical affections, unusual skin lesions and obscure internal disorders of the most diverse description. This hospital is excellently conducted and reflects credit on the professional skill of the officers in charge, as well as being a godsend to the immigrants who constitute its sole source of patients.

Next to Ellis Island the larger immigration points are Boston, with 45,865 entries; Philadelphia, with 45,023; Baltimore, with 22,866; and then San Francisco, Galveston, Seattle, Honolulu and Tampa. Medical examination of incoming aliens is conducted at forty-five points besides the preliminary advisory, inspections made by medical officers detailed to consulates in foreign countries.

The annual report of the surgeon general for the last fiscal year contains an account of many valuable and interesting lines of investigation conducted by service officers. One of the most notable achievements was the transmission of measles from man to monkeys, the first time this has ever been accomplished. Contrary to the erroneous