Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-20
| OFFICIALS CONDEMNED
Plague at Frisco Considered
by Health Conference.
PUBLICITY DESIRABLE
NO MIsTAKING WORDING OF RES
oLUTIoNs ADOPTED.
Mexican Authorities Assured That
Every Precaution Against Disease
Will Be Taken.

The plague conference called by Surgeon
General Wyman and composed of represen-
tatives of boards of health of different
states late yesterday afternoon reconsider
ed the resolution requesting DR.. Gardner
of California to secure certain assurances
from the governor of California and the
mayor of San Francisco relative to the
suppression of the plague and laid it on the
table.
The following resolution was adopted:
THE presence of plague in California Is
established beyond debate by:
a. The investiga tons of Kellogg of the
San Francisco board of health, Ryfkogei
for the California state board of health and
Kinyoun for the United States marine hos
pital service.
"2. BY the later Investigations of Pills
bury for the state board of health, and by
those of ]. White, NJ White, Flint, Currie,
Carmichael, Blue and Glennan for the
United States marine hospital service
80. By the findings of Flexner, Barker
and Novy, composing special committee
acting under federal authority.
IL By the findings of Independent and
disinterested investigators (suppled with
materials from autopsies made at San
Francisco and working in San FRANCISCO
Chicago, Boston, New York, washington
Baltimore, Philadelphia and Ann Arbor).
.,
plague in Ann Arbor, due to an accident in
the manufacture of Haffkine's prophylacuc
fluid with a culture of plague bacillus op-
tanned in California.
'8. BY the autopsy records Of ninety cases
of plague now in the possession of the
United States marine hospital service ana
of the San Francisco board of health and
published in part in the Occidental Medical
Times of San Francisco
The next resolution adopted was as fol-
lows:
Injury to Community.
'The presence of plague in any commune
ty where proper restrictions are not taken
to prevent its spread is an injury to the
best interests of that community. Such in
Jury is In any case avoidabe by the proper
cooperation of all interests involved, COM
mercial professional and governmental
This conference regards the habitual publ
cation of the actual facts relative to In
fictitious disease and preventive procedures
as the surest route to popular confidence
and is one of the means best adapted TO
minimize the injury liable to result from
the presence Of such diseases
The following resolutions also were adopt
ed but after considerable discussion:
The present danger to California and to
the United States lies primarily in the per-
sistence, during nearly three years, of
definite indus of plague infection in that
part of San Francisco known as China
town; but the gravity of this circumstance
is greatly increased by the gross neglect
of official duty by the state board of health
of California and the obstructive influence
Of the recent governor of California, by the
failure Of the city government of San Fran
cisco to support its city board of health,
and by the obstacles opposed to the opera
lions Of the United States public health
service.
THE conference will consider the safety
of the country sufficiently assured soon
as satisfied that competent city board of
health of San Francisco, and a competent
state board Of health, in cooperation with
the United States public health service, will
proceed under definite. harmonious and eff
fective laws and ordinances; that they are
provided with ample funds; and that they
are Jointly and severally in the free ex-
ercise of their lawful powers"