Chapter 66.
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CHAP. 66.— AN ACT to prevent the introduction of contagious or infectious diseases into the United States.April 29, 1878. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Contagions and infectious diseases. That no vessel or vehicle coming from any foreign-port or country where any contagious or Vessels from infected ports entering United States.infectious disease may exist, and no vessel or vehicle conveying any person or persons, merchandise or animals, affected with any infectious or contagious disease, shall enter any port of the United States or pass the boundary line between the United States and any foreign country, con- 38 FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 66. 1878. trary to the quarantine laws of any one of said United States, into or through the jurisdiction of which said vessel or vehicle may pass, or to which it is destined, or except in the manner and subject to the regulations to be prescribed as hereinafter provided. Sec. 2. That whenever any infectious or contagious disease shall appearConsuls to report vessels leaving infected ports. in any foreign port or country, and whenever any vessel shall leave any infected foreign port, or, having on board goods or passengers coming from any place or district infected with cholera or yellow fever, shall leave any foreign port, bound for any port in the United States, the consular officer, or other representative of the United States at or nearest such foreign port shall immediately give information thereof to the Supervising Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital Service, and shall report to him the name, the date of departure, and the port of destination of such vessel; and shall also make the same report to the health officer of the port of Health reports by consuls.destination in the United States, and the consular officers of the United States shall make weekly reports to him of the sanitary condition of the ports at which they are respectively stationed; and the said Surgeon-General of the Marine-Hospital Service shall, under the direction of the Surgeon-General of Marine-Hospital Service to execute act.Secretary of the Treasury, be charged with the execution of the provisions of this act, and shall frame all needful rules and regulations for that purpose, which rules and regulations, shall be subject to the approval of the President, but such rules and regulations shall not conflict with or impair any sanitary or quarantine laws or regulations of any State or municipal authorities now existing or which may hereafter be enacted.
Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty of the medical-officers of the Marine-HospitalMarine Hospital and customs officers to enforce quarantine laws. Service and of customs-officers to aid in the enforcement of the national quarantine rules and regulations established under the preceding section; but no additional compensation shall be allowed said officers by reason of such services as they may be required to perform under this act, except actual and necessary traveling expenses.
Sec. 4. That the Surgeon-General of the Marine-Hospital ServiceNotice to officers at port of destination. shall, upon receipt, of information of the departure of any vessel, goods, or passengers from infected places to any port in the United States, immediately notify the proper State or municipal and United States officer or officers at the-threatened port of destination of the vessel, and shall prepare and transmit to the medical officers of the Marine Hospital Service, to collectors of customs, and to the State and municipal health authorities in the United States, weekly abstracts of the consular sanitary reports and other pertinent information received by him.
Sec. 5. When officers of State quarantine system may act as officers of national system.At all other ports where, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Treasury, it shall be deemed necessary to establish quarantine, the medical officersRepeals. or other agents of the Marine-Hospital Service shall perform such duties in the enforcement of the quarantine rules and regulations as may be assigned them by the Surgeon General of that service under this act: *Provided*, That there shall be no interference in any manner with any quarantine laws or regulations as they now exist or may hereafter be adopted under State laws.
Sec. 6. That all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act be, andWhen officers of Marine-Hosp it a 1 Service to act. the same are hereby, repealed. Approved, April 29, 1878.