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The definition of Quarantine is “a restriction on the movement of people and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests.” It is the best way to avoid spreading disease during a pandemic. The idea of quarantine appeared a very long time ago in the Bible, in the book of Leviticus, Chapter 13, which states “If the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine him, and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate him for another seven days.” The 14-day quarantine described here echoes the 14-day quarantine currently recommended to those affected with COVID-19 to avoid the spread of disease, the effects of which can be seen in public health recommendations in China, Italy, the United States, and other countries significantly affected.
References
"Leviticus 13." Biblegateway.com.
Tyon, Peter. "A Short History of Quarantine." PBS.org, October 11, 2004.
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I. Cremona, Quarantine Section of an Italian Port, 1813-20. Pen drawing.
I. Cremona, Quarantine Section of an Italian Port, 1813-20. Pen drawing.
This ink drawing shows the general plan of the new quarantine zones at the pier of an Italian Port in the Mediterranean sea. The map legend is in Italian, and each letter refers to one of the port facilities. The use of maps in documenting the spread of disease can be seen in other examples in this exhibition.
Public Information Notice, Featuring a Diphtheria Quarantine Card, early 20th c. Pennsylvania.
Public Information Notice, Featuring a Diphtheria Quarantine Card, early 20th c. Pennsylvania.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that affects the throat, specifically the respiratory system. It can be spread by airborne droplets and contaminated objects such as tissues or towels. The bacteria emits a poison that causes a sore throat, fever and swollen throat glands, resulting in the description as the suffocation disease. The fatality rates were extremely high in children before a vaccine was developed. Outbreaks occurred in the United States throughout the early 20th century. To mitigate the spread of the infection, quarantine cards were made for houses that had diphtheria. The card gave notice to the surrounding neighborhood and a signature was required for the residents to leave the premises.
Spread of Disease via Food Preparation (Typhoid Mary), early 20th c. Illustration.
Spread of Disease via Food Preparation (Typhoid Mary), early 20th c. Illustration.
An asymptotic carrier of disease, Typhoid Mary (Mary Mallon), was an Irish-born cook believed to have infected numerous people in the United States with typhoid fever, three of whom died. She was forced into quarantine by authorities, and died after nearly thirty years in quarantine. It is believed that she was infected with typhoid during birth.
Lessons from the Past
Lessons from the Past
Quarantine has been a strategy to prevent infectious diseases since the spread of the plague in the Middle Ages. It has now been adopted by all levels of government in countries around the world as an effective step in prevention. Quarantine has been implemented on a large scale for many diseases, one of the most recent, before today, being the 1918 influenza.
Constricting the movements of and social interaction among people is against human nature, causing resentment. In most times of quarantine, defiance and protests are a common reaction, but quarantine is a social obligation. It becomes the responsibility of individuals to stay home in an effort to keep the community safe. While most of the world is practicing "shelter in place" and “social distancing” today in 2020, many are eager to get back to normal. In modern quarantine, we have technology at our finger tips, and can at least partially replace our daily routines within the frame of a laptop screen. As we crave normality in times of uncertainty, adapting to the situation contributes to the flattening of the curve.
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