The San Francisco call., 1899-07-04
THE BLACK DEATH.
Explanation of Conditions Aboard
the Nippon Maru.


To the Editor of the San Francisco Call: In
view of the many inaccuracies which have ap-
peared in the San Francisco daily press on the
subject Of the Nippon Maru we beg 10 FUR
nish you with the simple statement of facts.
We must not dispute the statement that the
case of the Chinese boy who died at Nagasafu
on May 26 of plague for we were not
permitted to any of the specimens upon
which the diagnosis Of plague was made by the
Japanese authorities. After his death the ship
was thoroughly disinfected by the quarantine
officials of Nagasaki and all passengers. saloon
included, were taken to the quarantine station
and bathed and their clothes were fumdgated.
After weeks quarantine, terminating June
8, the ship sailed with clean bill Of health,
and after thorough investigation at Kobe
and Yokohama We cleared from Yokohama for
Honolulu and San Francisco June g.
Chinese steerage passenger died on board
on June II and the body was embalmed, and
on arrival Honolulu June II the authori-
ties there made a post mortem examination of
the remains After twenty-four hours they re-
ported that they had found bacilli resembling
those of bubonic plague" The port physician
did not tell us 1t plague but said repeat
edly that the bacilli resembed those of plague.
We We're Immediately put into quarantine and
remained under strict quarantine rules for four
days
At the request OF Captain Allen, and on the
recommendation of the port physician.
were invited to form committee with the
ships surgeon for the purpose of thoroughly
quarantine oficer-the Board of Health sup
Piled the material namely, formaldehyde and
these We're applied vigorously. To insure the
proper carrying out of our orders we four took
regular three hour watches. day and night
Each steerage passenger bathed in a car
boliC acid bath, the clothing disinfected
with steam under pressure and a new, disin-
fected suit given to each person on coming out
of the hath. The baggage of all steerage pas
iumigated with sulphur and afterward with
formaldehyde. During these days guards were
stationed TO insure there was no communication
between steerage and saloon, and on every oc-
caSlon after being in contact with the steerage
70 our quarters. On June 20. having transferred
the Honolulu passengers under quarantine to
the steamer chartered for them by the com
pany, sailed for San Francisco.
On Monday. June 19, japanese woman, %
years of age and mother of two children.
two of US (Drs. Hall and Scott that evening
at different times. and concurred in the
diagnosis made. The following morning DR..
Day, the port physician of Honolulu, saw the
woman and agreed with us that 1t paraly-
sis, but due to apoplexy. probably of specific
plague and that he would give a. certificate
which would be satisfactory to the author-
ties at San Francisco. He did and we read
1t and considered 1t quite satisfactory. 1t is
unnecessary to add that even a layman could
not possibly mistake apoplexy for plague We
along with the ships surgeon. paid her several
visits, and on every occasion her temperature
and pulse were normal and nothing
which made US change our opinion of her case.
The reason given US by DR.. Day for not TAX
moving might cause her death: and the Attor-
ney General of Hawaii said that in that case
he would be liable to be charged with man
slaughter She fingered. all such cases
usually do, in more or less unconscious
dition until June %, when she died
Captain Allen. feeling secure by reason of the
certificate from Dr. Day, and the independent
opinion of the medical committee. decided to
bury at sea, this being the rule Of the COM
pany in case of the death of a Japanese steer
age passenger. The engines were stopped and
a portion of the burial services having been
read by the Rev. G. Inwood. the body was com
mitted TO the deep In the presence of the Off
GERS of the ship and several of the passengers.
flag either here or in Honolulu There was no
illness on board and the yellow flag was not
hoisted until it ordered by the quarantine
officer We dropped anchor within the pre-
scribed limits to await medical inspection.
which is the ordinary custom adopted by
healthy ships.
Captain Allen informs us that in addition
TO these three the only other Illness on
board since leaving Hongkong a fireman
with bruises on shoulder. who returned to
work next day. and a OF bronchitis. where
the man sick for two days So far as any
one knows there illness among the
japanese stowaways. they were in the coal
bunkers and cut off from and passen-
gers.
We submit this statement not as a protest
complaint against detention here, but
simply with the view of putting the public in
possession Of the facts. We are, sir. yours
faithfully, J. B. FEARN. NJ D.
S. JEBB SCOTT. NJ A. NJ B.
". L. HALL. NJ D.
Angel Island, July 1, 1899.