Ship Arriving In New York Harbor
The newly mandated medical inspection process actually began long before immigrants arrived in New York Harbor, however (Markel, 2000). Ship captains were required to certify that none of their passengers appeared to be mentally defective, (Baynton, 2005; Garis, 1928) and the shipping companies were responsible by law not only to provide return passage for any immigrant rejected at Ellis Island, but were fined $100 for each such instance (Baynton, 2005; Birn, 1997; Markel, 2000). The ships’ manifests were required to contain a record of a physical examination in addition to general information for each immigrant (Benton, 1985). "Shipping companies therefore had strong incentives to refuse passage to anyone they thought unlikely to get by the inspectors, and ship captains became, in effect, an unofficial arm of the immigration service" (Baynton, 2005, p. 40). Even the European ticket agents became de facto inspectors, as they too, could be fined by the shipping companies for selling a ticket to someone who would be rejected trying to board the ship (Baynton, 2005; Garis 1928). Such a strategy appeared an effective deterrent indeed, as a 1911 federal commission estimated that about ten times as many immigrants were refused passage for medical reasons as were barred at the ships’ American destinations (Baynton, 2005).
Immigrants were also educated about the American laws through targeted 'handbooks' that explained the medical inspection process, advised those considering emigration of the futility of trying to fool the immigration officials, and warned potential emigrants that any sign of certain conditions would result in being barred entry to America (Markel, 2000).
After making it aboard ship, the immigrants' next inspection occurred when they first entered New York Harbor. The ships were boarded by New York State health officers, who conducted inspections for diseases such as typhus, cholera, small pox and yellow fever (Kraut, 1988). First and second class passengers were generally not inspected, or were subject to more cursory in-cabin inspections on board ship by Public Health Service Officers (Kraut, 1988; Markel, 2000; Yans-McLaughlin, 1997). Most first and second class passengers disembarked as soon as the ship docked (Wallace, 1991; Yew 1980). Immigrants with any visible ailment or other health concern who could possibly afford the ticket were advised to travel second class due to this 'milder' on-board inspection (Birn, 1997; Markel, 2000). The remainder of the immigrants, traveling in the squalid conditions of steerage would be ferried to Ellis Island for inspection and registration (Kraut, 1988; Yew, 1980).
Immigrants were also educated about the American laws through targeted 'handbooks' that explained the medical inspection process, advised those considering emigration of the futility of trying to fool the immigration officials, and warned potential emigrants that any sign of certain conditions would result in being barred entry to America (Markel, 2000).
After making it aboard ship, the immigrants' next inspection occurred when they first entered New York Harbor. The ships were boarded by New York State health officers, who conducted inspections for diseases such as typhus, cholera, small pox and yellow fever (Kraut, 1988). First and second class passengers were generally not inspected, or were subject to more cursory in-cabin inspections on board ship by Public Health Service Officers (Kraut, 1988; Markel, 2000; Yans-McLaughlin, 1997). Most first and second class passengers disembarked as soon as the ship docked (Wallace, 1991; Yew 1980). Immigrants with any visible ailment or other health concern who could possibly afford the ticket were advised to travel second class due to this 'milder' on-board inspection (Birn, 1997; Markel, 2000). The remainder of the immigrants, traveling in the squalid conditions of steerage would be ferried to Ellis Island for inspection and registration (Kraut, 1988; Yew, 1980).