ometimes caused by the foul air arising from a
ship's hold, owing to the decomposition of vegetable substances in a
hot climate, or to an accumulation of filth, without ventilation, when
crowded with passengers. The malignant, pestilential disease, caused by
inhaling this noxious atmosphere, often sweeps off portions of the crew
and passengers; and those who visit a ship under such circumstances, and
breathe the poisonous gases, even in a northern latitude, are liable
to be attacked by this fatal disease. But the ordinary quarantine
regulations will afford no protection in such a case. A few weeks' delay
in quarantine after the crew have become acclimated, and fumigations,
and sprinklings with acids in the cabin, until all hands are pickled or
smoke-dried, will not purify the ship's hold, prevent the exhalation of
pestilential gases, and arrest the progress of infection.

Then may we not hope that the expensive quarantine establishments,
with sweeping, indiscriminating regulations, founded on prejudice, and
continued through fear and ignorance, a disgrace to this enlightened
age, and a dead weight on commercial enterprise, will soon be abolished?
In their stead let a board of health be instituted, with an office where
business can be transacted at all hours. Let the master of every vessel
which arrives in port, and on board of which deaths have occurred
during the passage, report the same at the health office, that judicious
measures, such as are adapted to the particular case, may be resorted
to, in order to protect the community or individuals from inconvenience
or danger when INFECTIOUS diseases exist.

Time passes slowly in quarantine. The officers of a ship are generally
taciturn, surly, and exacting; and the crew are unhappy, discontented,
disposed to grumble, and ready to quarrel and fight on the most trivial
occasions, and often without any occasion whatever. At the expiration
of ten protracted days after we let go our anchor in the outer harbor of
Gottenburg, we were again honored with a visit from the health officer.
The crew manifested their vigorous physical condition by another clamber
up the rigging. The officer came on board, shook hands with the captain,
and congratulated him on being released from quarantine. The pilot took
charge of the vessel, the men were ordered to man the windlass, which
order was obeyed with alacrity. Faces diminished in longitude, and were
lighted up with smiles. The anchor song