U.S. National Library of Medicine Images from the History of the Public Health Service
Page 20

Disease Control and Prevention


The immigration law of 1891 made it mandatory that all immigrants coming into the United States be given a health inspection by the Public Health Service physicians. The law stipulated the exclusion of "all idiots, insane persons, paupers or persons likely to become public charges, persons suffering from a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease," and criminals. The largest inspection center was on Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Here the physicians are looking at the eyes for signs of trachoma.

c. 1910


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