Science at the Borders: Immigrant Medical Inspection and the Shaping of the Modern Industrial Labor Force

by Amy L. Fairchild

In 1891, officers of the United States Public Health Service began examining immigrants at the nation's borders for "loathsome and dangerous contagious diseases." First introduced as a means to screen out those who posed a threat to public health, the examinations were soon described by officials as a way of denying entry to applicants who could not work and would, therefore, be a burden on society. But historian Amy Fairchild has unearthed a curious fact about this ubiquitous rite of immigration―it was rarely undertaken to exclude immigrants. In Science at the Borders, Fairchild retells the immigrant story, offering a new interpretation of the medical exam and the role it played in the lives of the 25 million immigrants who entered the US. She argues that the vast assembly line of flesh and bone served as a kind of initiation into the life of the new working class, one that would introduce men and women from the villages of eastern Europe and elsewhere to the norms and conventions of the factory floor. What the overwhelming majority of immigrants endured at Ellis Island and other entry points to the United States was, according to Fairchild, part of a process of induction into American industrial society. Against this backdrop Fairchild also explores the southern border of the United States and the West Coast where the exam did, in fact, serve to exclude. Throughout, Fairchild conveys the humanity of the story, offering detailed accounts of individual immigrants confronting a large scientific and medical bureaucracy.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

408 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2003

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Science at the Borders" Amy Fairchild argues that the Public Health Service's medical inspection of immigrants was a process of discipline and inclusion. Unlike many historians, who view the medical exam as a point of rejection, Fairchild says that given how few immigrants were turned away from the US, it is more useful to see how the exam perpetuated an American ideal of "industrial citizenship." Fairchild also emphasizes regional variation between the east and west coasts, Canadian, and Mexican border. Although she examines Ellis Island in detail, she is quick to point out that local conditions and labor markets shaped how immigrants were inspected at different points throughout the country. Finally, "Science at the Borders" underscores that the PHS adopted a fluid, flexible definition of race that often, though not always, aligned with notions of class and fitness for labor.

Fairchild's book is an excellent, thoughtful, and critical account of immigration between 1880 and 1920. She deftly blends quantitative and qualitative analysis to present a study of immigration more nuanced than many others. However, her emphasis on quantitative evidence does make the book a bit dense and a slow read (at least for someone without training in statistics).

I strongly suggest this book as a counterpoint to simplistic accounts of the PHS' role in immigration restriction.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent contribution that fundamentally redefines the Ellis Island narrative from one of "exclusion" to one of "inclusion" in the emerging capitalist-industrial order, with exclusion acting primarily as a symbol of power. Incisive theoretical framework buttressed by an exhaustive statistical analysis and a plethora of primary source material. The nuance of the medical examination/disease classification became somewhat burdensome to read through, but was probably necessary to fully explicate upon her argument. Recommended for readers interested in U.S. immigration history.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look at the non-idealized Ellis Island experience for the immigrant masses arriving there. Although meant for the scholar, the language & material are accessible enough for the anyone with an interest to engage themselves in the reading. Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that the author of a book so frank about the Ellis Island experience could actually wind up finding herself involved with the institute after such a book was written.