The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-11
SAN FRANCISCO HAS HAD OVER
FIFTY DEATHS FROM PLAGUE
The President of the Board of Health Raises
His Voice Against the Suppression or
Avoidance of the Truth.

cases have been further investigated
with corroborative reports by leading
medical authorities having none but d
purely scientific interest.
There has been a combined and part
" successful effort on the part of GER
tain State officials and metropolitan jour
nails TO smother the truth in this matter
by loudly and repeatedly denying the ca.
istence of the disease and villifying those
who have admitted its presence. Not
w~ithstanding these attempts at deception
the facts remain unaltered.
THE failure of the State in the early
stage OF the controversy to accept the
situation and deal with il promptly has
done a vast amount of harm. and has
caused its attitude to be looked upon
with suspicion by other States and by
foreign countries. Why did Mexico
quarantine against California? Why did
Texas, Louisiana and Colorado persist In
quarantining against California passen-
gers and freight, even after high State
authorities had officially stated that pest
was not present.? They did 1t for the
reason that the State Board Of Health
in its anxiety to placate a political pow
er had overreached itself. and had there
by become discredited.
ITO a certain extent the State has
since atoned for its error. At a time
when the commercial fate OF San Fran
cisco and of California as well was trem-
bling in the balance, partly by reason Of
the report Of the Federal Commission,
but principally by reason OF the obsti-
nate attitude assumed by prominent
State officials. and the hostility mani
Tested by the press toward fair investi
cation. the very men who by their pens
had done the most to besmirch the repu-
tation and impug the veracity OF any
and all opposed TO them, travelled 10 the
national capital. with contrition in their
hearts and promises 20 do better in their
pockets.
cor the return Of this delegation,
which has since been termed the Special
Health Commission it was announced
California was not quarantined and
San Francisco's Chinatown would
be cleansed at the expense of the State.
Is It not n matter OF record that more
than $37. 600 have been drawn from the
State Treasury for this PURPOSE. and oV-
er $50 men employed in ~scrubbinR and
disinfecting the Chinese quarter? Has
a c~unningly worded report been Is
sued, Astounding IN self-admiration, tell
ing all that was done and furnishing the
information that not a single case of the
pest had been found during the three
months OF the process of publication,
wherefore this is considered by the sign
erS OF the document as conclusive proof
that pest had never existed? With all
respect 10 the gentlemen composing
special health commission. and with
fullest compassion for the State
Board OF Health. the San Francisco
Board Of Health cannon concur with
hem in their rosy decision. and regrets
to mention that since the close of the
State inspection, sixteen cases OF the dis
Ease which now exists have been found
in the infected districts.
California cannot continue 10 pursue
ostrich policy, and cannot afford u
.Eaore the presence OF a disease by In
.entionally failing to find It."
FREDERICK O'BRIEN.