Encyclopedia of Ellis Island by Barry Moreno

Author:Barry Moreno [Moreno, Barry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2012-08-26T06:29:20+00:00

142

Line Inspection

Welfare library decorated with plants, a globe, paintings, and a display of periodicals.

Courtesy of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

3,000 volumes to Ellis Island, 800 in 22 foreign

thousands of aliens who arrived daily at the

languages.

port of New York and had to be examined for

The current reference library dates from the

the presence of illnesses or physical conditions

1970s and was originally on Liberty Island.

that barred admission to the United States.

Later, librarian Harvey Dixon moved it to the

Surgeons of the Marine Hospital Service

kitchen and laundry building. When his

(later renamed the Public Health Service)

successor, Won Kim, left the National Park

conducted all medical inspections. Other im-

Service in September 1987, he closed it and

migration stations—such as those at Boston, Bal-

stored the books and files in the immigration

timore, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Galveston,

building. In April 1988, a library technician San Francisco, or Seattle—did not require

was hired and reopened it on the first floor of the line inspection because they did not handle

the volume that Ellis Island did.

hospital administration building. In 1992, The following is a description of the line in-he moved the collection to a specially designed

spection in 1912 from one of the physicians,

space on the third floor of the Main Building.

Alfred C. Reed:

The collection consists of 4,000 books, many

thousands of photographs and slides, technical

Incoming immigrants pass in single file down two

lines. Each of these lines makes a right-angled turn reports, unpublished manuscripts, periodicals,

midway in its course. At this turn stands a medical films, video and audio recordings, the Gino

officer. He sees each person directly from the front Speranza Collection, and extensive research

as he approaches, and his glance travels rapidly

files on the history, immigration, and ethnic

from feet to hand. In this rapid glance, he notes the groups of Ellis Island, as well as the history of gait, attitude, (the) presence of flat feet, lameness, stiffness at ankle, knee, or hip, malformations of the the Statue of Liberty.

body; observes the neck for goiter, muscular development, scars, enlarged glands, texture of skin and, Line Inspection. Line inspection was a brief finally, as the immigrant comes up face to face, the medical inspection of immigrants unique to

examiner notes the abnormalities of the features, Ellis Island. It was devised in response to the

eruptions, scars, paralysis, expressions, etc. As the Line Inspection

143

immigrant turns, in following the line, the examiner undergo the medical inspection and examination

has a side view, noting the ears, scalp, side of neck, which are conducted by the officers of the Public examining the hands for deformity and paralysis,

Health Service.

and if anything about the individual seems suspi-

Line Inspection

cious, he is asked several questions. It is surprising Upon entering . . . immigrants are guided by an

often a mental aberration will show itself in the reac-attendant into the different inspection lines. These tion of the person to an unexpected question. As the lines, separated by iron railings, are four in number immigrant passes on, the examiner has a rear view at their proximal end and two in number at their dis-which may reveal spinal deformity or lameness. In tal end. Each pair

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