Dr Rita Pemberton

THE PANIC and fear stimulated by the covid19 pandemic were by no means new: they were previously experienced when the cholera pandemic occurred during the 19th century.

The scourge of cholera made its way through the region. As the disease traversed the region, the colonial administration in each territory panicked helplessly because neither cause nor cure was known and there was no mechanism proven to prevent the ravages of the disease, which was no respecter of race, colour, class or status.

In the vain attempt to curtail the spread, most territories responded with laws which were based on sanitation, a reflection of the view that the disease was caused by the dirty habits of the population.

In Tobago, several Quarantine Acts preceded the Sanitary Act, which was passed on August 24, 1853. Its stated purpose was to secure the cleanliness of the towns and districts and the health of the inhabitants, although the island lacked the basic sanitation infrastructure.

However, in response to the spread of the disease to neighbouring territories in 1854, on October 15 Tobago's administration implemented another law which repealed the previous laws as it sought to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases. This new law, which was undoubtedly a panic reaction to the trajectory of the disease in the neighbouring territories, had as its focus the prevention of introduction of disease-causing agents into the island from outside sources.

The island's medical officer of health at the port or bay was the official in charge of the entire operation, and it was the duty of the harbour master to advertise the law to incoming ship captains. The harbour master was designated a quarantine officer, and the governor was authorised to appoint additional officers if and when required.

The duties of quarantine officers included attending to the needs of the quarantined vessels and enforcing obedience to the law. They were paid eight shillings for each ship they attended by the owner or master of the affected ship and eight shillings from the island's treasury.

Quarantine officers were required to keep a safe distance from quarantined vessels and were to do business, by speech only, from the windward side of the vessel and provide such vessels only with food, water and medicines. They were not allowed to make physical contact with any letters or items of clothing from the ship. There was provision for punishing those officers who contravened the law.

The medical officer of health was authorised to go on board a quarantined vessel only to ascertain the state of health of the crew and passengers. This officer was required to board the vessel on the weather or windward side. His remuneration was £1 12 shillings from the public purse and the same amount from the ship's captain or owner.

To enforce the law, particularly regarding the administrative difficulty of effectively supervising the many bays and inlets around the island, power of arrest of non-compliant people was given to quarantine o