QUARANTINE
quarantine. 1. The isolation of a person or animal afflicted with a communicable disease or
the prevention of such a person or animal from coming into a particular area, the purpose being to
prevent the spread of disease. • Federal, state, and local authorities are required to cooperate in the
enforcement of quarantine laws. 42 USCA § 243(a).
“Power to make quarantine regulations is one of the most frequent powers conferred on
boards of health. Such regulations constitute a proper exercise of the police power, provided they
are not in conflict with federal regulations on the subject or that legislation by Congress is absent,
and that they do not abridge rights protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.” 39 Am. Jur. 2d
Health § 59, at 529–30 (1999).
- A place where a quarantine is in force. 3.Hist. A period of 40 days, esp. for the isolation
and detention of ships containing persons or animals suspected of having or carrying a dangerous
communicable disease, in order to prevent the spread of the disease.“Quarantine …. The name is
drawn from the fact that the period was formerly commonly 40 (Ital. quaranta) days. In 1423
Venice established a lazaretto or quarantine station on an island to check the growth of disease
brought in by ships. In the sixteenth century quarantine became widespread and there developed
the system of bills of health, certificates that the last port was free from disease; a clean bill
entitled a ship to use the port without subjection to quarantine.” David M. Walker, The Oxford
Companion to Law 1022 (1980).
4.Hist. A widow’s privilege to remain in her husband’s house for 40 days after his death while
her dower is being assigned. • This right was enforced by a writ de quarantina habenda. — Also
spelled quarentine; quarentene. See DE QUARANTINA HABENDA. — quarantine,vb.“[I]t was
provided by Magna Charta that the widow should give nothing for her dower, and that she should
tarry in the chief house of her husband for forty days, (and which is called the widow’s quarantine,)
after the death of her husband, within which time her dower should be assigned her; and that, in
the mean time, she should have reasonable estovers, or maintenance, out of the estate. The
provision that the widow should pay nothing for the dower, was made with the generous intention
of taking away the uncourtly and oppressive claim of the feudal lord, for a fine, upon allowing the
widow to be endowed. This declaration of Magna Charta is, probably, the law in all the United
States.” 4 James Kent, Commentaries on American Law *61 (George Comstock ed., 11th ed.
1866). [Blacks Law 8th]