The San Francisco call., 1899-07-07
AUCTION SALES.
METEOROLOGICAL TRUTH.

HR J. HENRY BARBAT, member OF the San
Francisco Board OF Health and the private
- physician OF Daniel Burns, is the brother OF
Dr. William F Barbat, who recently antagonzed
the Federal quarantine officer in the case OF the
Nippon AIaru the Japanese steamship 1t seems that
two Japanese sailors were suspected OF having died
from the bubonic plague one OF the most terrible
diseases known in the world. DR.. kinyOun, lndOrsed
by the United States and the acting Federal Quaran
tine officer after having duplicated original iumi
CATION OF the vessel at Honolulu, and after having
subjected its passengers to rigid investigation at the
Federal quarantine station at Angel Island, became
convinced that there danger OF the cOmmunl-
cation OF the bubonic plague to the crowded pOpua-
lation OF San Francisco, and, behalf OF the Fed
eraI Government withdrew all opposition to the
docking OF the steamship and to the landing OF its
passengers.
But Dr. William F Barbat was not satisfied He
avaed himself to the fullest OF the opportunity
for meteorological analysis. He determined to sub
ject the bach taken from the glands OF the Japanese
sailors whose bodies had been prOvidentialy found
near Fort Point to scientific demonstration Alter he
had collected the baciIli from the swollen glands he
instituted "cutures' by which the ultimate fact
TO be developed. When the development was per
fected bubonic possibilities were suggested but the
alternative OF consumption was also presented.
Now the TACT is that this peninsula with its
there is not single element for the fertilization OF
bubonic germs OF that form Of acute disease there
is hardly possibility OF development this coast
The Federal quarantine officer vas fully justified in
his reassuring conclusion
But the meteorological assistant to the Board of
Health, although perhaps unconscious OF the mpor-
tance OF his contribution to the science OF the day.
was also right. The Board of Health as at present
characterized, owes its existence to the Huntington
monopoly operating for the moment through the
Governor Of the State For thirty years has been
a subject Of intense interest to people to deter
mine the peculiar form OF bacii through which the
autocratic power Of Mr.. Huntington has been so
frequently and trumphantly asserted. That germs
baci bacteria peryaded the air and reached the
glands OF politicians, wherever the railroad monopoly
operated, has been evident fact comprehended by
every citizen who felt the desire for material develop
ment or moral salubrity But there has been great
lack OF precision in the diagnosis OF the disease 1t
has been actually essential to the public health that
some man should arise possessed of the technical
knowledge and the scientific experience that would
enable him to unravel the mystery and bring it within
popular comprehension.
Dr. William F Barbat. the bacterologist of the
Board of Health, is the Nathan for whom Mr. Hun
tington has waited. He has solved the problem of
generation. The disease from which California has
so long suffered is the railroad form OF the bubonic
plague, innocuous in merely physical sense, but
terially, intellectually and morally consuming. The
extent TO which the railroad germ has preyed upon our
substance is beyond the conception OF ordinary Amer
leans But the cultures OF Dr. Barbat will exat the
people out OF their customary ignorance They will
observe how, upon almost nfinitesimal point the
bacill can swarm and will realize that even sanitary
precautions may be applied to spread disease that
is not only Asiatic but mperialistc.
The Board of Health is swelled with monopostic
importance. Dan Burns walks up and down behind
the scenes with fatulent consciousness of power that
attracts general admiration But Dr. William F Bar
bat is the scientific hero OF the OCCASION and to his
psychological discoveries the honors are due