The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-04-22
BUBONIC PLAGUE
IN SAN FRANCISCO
Has Been Officially Declared
to Be in Existence.
Reports of the Facts Have
Been Kept Out of the Press,
Afternoon Press Association Special

Afternoon Press Association Special
SAN Francisco. April % AS result
OF the report made to the Federal au
thorities by the special board of investi.
gators appointed hy the treasury depart.
ment to ascertain whether the bubonic
plague really existed in San Francisco
Chinatown for the first time is undergo
ing thorough renovatiug and overhaul
ing Five physicians, of the Marine
Hospital Service, are in charge f the
work, The money lie furnished by the
State of California, and the Federal au
thoiities are being assisted by both the
the state and city boards of heaths.
The report which at the instance of a
special committee representing Cover
nor Gage, the merchants and newspapers
OF San Francisco that recently called on
President KcKiuley, was suppressed,
has been published in full by the
Occidental Medical Times, In II the
Federal Plague Commission states that
blbonic plague has existed in sporadic
form for over year past in San
Francisco's Chinatown, and is in
existence at the present tune. During
the eight days the commission spent
here, it found an average of case day,
every one OF which proved fatal. The
attitude of Federal Quarantine officer
DR.. j. j. Kinyoun is fully sustained and
his reputation vindicated. Ever since
the announcement Of the existence Of
plague, the Governor, the state legisla.
ture and the merchants have slandered
aud abused DR.. Kinyoun as the first
discoveor of plague, and the newspapers
have constantly showered abnse upon
him while denying plaques. Now the
state is forced to take the very measures
of renovation and protection that Kim
youn was censured for recommending.
The newspapers of San Francisco and
the Associated Press still refuse to &C.
knowledge the existence OF plague or to
carry lany public statement that
conditions were much wore
than they had actually said.
There has never been any danger, owing
to climatic conditions et the plague be-
coming epidemic, and the vanitation Of
Chinatown now progressing will be an
effective preventive.
The State Medical Association in ses
sion this week in Sacramento has
adopted the following resolutions, which
bespeak the opinion entertained by the
medical fraternity OF the state:
Resolved, That the fatal and incom.
prehensible lethargy OF the present
board Of health in the face of the most
insiduouss the most deadly aud the most
unmanageable disease that ever
menanced our people, deserves
as il receives, our severest condemna-
ton. That as the occurrance and re-
occurrance of cases OF bubonic plague
in San Francisco, presents constant
menance 70 the health OF the state and
nation, the Medical Society OF the State
of California regards the situation as OF
sufficient gravity TO demand the united
efforts Of state, local and federal author
tiles for the eradication Of the disease,
Resolved that the society emphat-
ically condemns the policy OF suppres-
Sion of information inaugurated in San
Francisco aud new being perpetuated in
Washington, and demands that the
plain provisions Of the Federal law in
relation to the public health reports, be
strickly complied with.