El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-02
END In SIGHT
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES
TO INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY
Commission of Medical Men Will Get
to the Bottom of the Plague Situa-
ton in Frisco.

AFTER nearly a year Of utterly mex
cusable failure to meet the situation,
the federal government has at last
taken steps and promises to put an
end to the unfortunate controversy
that has ragged all that time as to
whether there has ben genuine case
of bubOnic plague in San Francisco
The following telegram from Sacra-
mento is published in the San Fran
cisco dailies:
Governor Gage has received from
United States Senator Perkins an i'm
portant telegram relating to the Kin
youn case. The telegram is to this ef-
feet:
"A commission has been appointed
to Investigate the whole plague sitna-
ton. One OF these men is due to ar
rive In San Francisco tonight, and the
other two will soon arrive there. Two
OF them are renowned experts who
have studied the plague in India and
China, and the other has had excep-
tional opportunities of becoming famil-
lar with the subject. They represent
the highest talent of the universities
of Chicago, Michigan, and Peunsyl-
vania- They are sent not necessarily
because the department is convinced
Of danger of plague in San Francisco.
but at the instance Of the authorities
OF other states to the end that if dan
ger actually exists proper measures
may be taken Immediately to protect
all concerned. This commission will
investigate the whole question and is
instructed to pay it's respects to you
1t will work. it is hoped. with 1iscre-
ton and without undue publicity.
This matter has not bene given to the
press.
cit is understood here that the tele-
gram was sent by Senator Perkins af-
ter conference with high officials Of
the treasury department and Surgeon
General Wyman. It is known here
that one Of the experts referred to ir
the communication is Professor Novy
of the University of Ann Harbor. he
being the Michigan man of the trio.
Governor Gage and others interested in
the Investigation will see to it that
the three experts sent out by the gov
errment do not decide the matter
wholly on the so-ca1led bacteriologf-
cal proofs which have been so freely
handed out by Kinyoun and the Eek
perts" CO of the San Francisco board
of health. Instead, they will be fur
nished with evidence from the practi-
ca lside of the case, as there will be no
lack of data from which a decision
based on actual conditions may be
rendered"
The Herald learns from a reliable
source that the other two members
of the commission, besides Prof. Novy,
who is mentioned above, are Prof
Barker of the University Of Chicago
and Prof. Flexner Of the University of
Pennsylvania.
1t is interesting and gratifying to
know that the plan of submitting the
whole question to a commission of
three disinterested parties is exactly
the plan proposed by DIR. W. N Villas.
president of the board of health of Ell
Peso, and embodied by resolution of
the chamber OF commerce and the
board Of health in letter recently ad-
dressed to the governors of Texas and
California. Whether the plan had been
set in motion by the federal govern
ment before it was suggested by DR..
Villas is not yet known here. but at
any rate. it is high compliment to
the judgment of DR.. Villas and the El
Paso examinations that a plan Of ap-
a commission has been adop-
ted by the government.
eel Paso stands practically alone
among the cities of the state in the
systematic, persistent, and fearless
light which her commercial and health
have made for the in
lection of a little sanitv, commor-Sense
and consideration for public rights
during the whole bubonic plague con-
troversy," said Secretary Russell to a
reporter Whatever mistakes
Ell Paso may have made in this matter
have bene honestly made after all DOS
sible effort to find out the facts. 1t is
a meter for just local pride that the
city has shown the spunk. the enter
prise, and the good judgment which
have marked the efforts of our citi-
zers to secure rational action by the
in this matter"