The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-23
FRISCO HAS HIDDEN
BUB0NIC PLAGUE
FOR YEARS
Secretary Bracken Talks of
the Menace to the United
States Through the Port
Of San Francisco Condi
tons Have Been Concealed
for Many Years.

Secretary Bracken, of the Minnesota
state board of health, who represented
this state at the recent conference held
at Washington returned to St. Paul
yesterday. In a talk as to the action
by the conference regarding the bu-
bonic plague, for the discussion CT
which the conference was held, DR..
Braclken said:
Plague has existed in San Francisco
for neadly three years. During TINS time
the United States public health service
has secured a record OF ninety-thFee eases.
Between Aug / andSNoV l, 1902. twenty
eight of these cases occurred. mere can
be no doubt as to these facts for a com
plete examination of every case was
made before the diagnosis was given
out When the disease first appeared
in California there was general eIort
to control it. but certain conditions
sprang up which divided the CalifOrnians
at once into two groups: First--IhOSe
who wished to recognize plague and to
do everything possible to control; second,
those who refused to accept the dlagno-
sis of plague even though it had been
made by capable men.
ma lority of the city board of health of
San Francisco Belonging to the latter
group was the then Gov. Gage. He
should not be recognized as plague that
he appointed upon the state board OF
health medical men who would lndorse
his sentiments. In the whole fight against
the plague in California the city board
of health of San Francisco and the United
States public health service has had the
opposition of the state board OF health.
I'm January, 1902. when the present
Mayor Schmitz. of San Francisco. came
into office he Joined the ranks of the
anti-pla que people and undertook to dis
charge those members of the city board
of health who were assisting the United
States public health service in their eff
forts to control the plague. The, mem
befs Of this board, against whom he. was
acting. secured an injunction restraining
him from so doing. The city board OF
health of San Francisco has therefore as
sisted the United States public health
service up to January OF the present
year. Since the first of January the city
| board of health has undergone change, the
term of one or two of the most efficient
members of this board having expired.
An attempt has been made to change this
into an anti-plague board also. Whether
this effort has succeeded or not is so far
| unknown
Plague Is Concealed.
Undoubtedly there have been conceal
ed cases of plague, for of the ninety-three
known cases ninety were not found until
after death. This would represent NOR
tality of almost 100 per cent, which Is
entirely too high for plague.
''It was because of this unsatisfactory
condition in California that Surgeon Cen
eral Wyman, OF the United States pub
| lie health service, was requested to call
the conference with the various state
boards Of health, the representatives Of
| these boaTf feeling that the action Of
the anti-plague element of the CallfOr-
mans was a menace to the entire cOun-
try. The entire sentiment of the con-
! ference held at Washington was against
| the action of the California authorities.
| Resolutions were passed indOrsing the ac-
| ton of the United States public health
service. also the action of the residents
of California who had been using theiT
! hest endeavors to aid the United States
| authorities in ferreting out and control
ling. plague. Certain advisory proceedings
were taken by this conference bearing
upon future action of California and San
| Francisco.
LAS the state board of health is about
| to be reOrganized it is to be hoped that
men interested in the suppression OF
! plague will be appointed upon it. 1t was
| suggested that certain drastic measures
| be taken against California, such as rec
| ommending to the secretary Of war that
| the transport service from San francisco
| be discontinued. also that there should be
| an inspection at the state line Of all pas
/ Senger trains leaving California, as also
| advisory action to the representatives OF
the st. Louis exposition relative to guard
| ing against the introduction of plague
into that city from California, but it was
| thought unnecessary to take such actor
! against California until the authorities
/ of that state had become fully informed
| of the action of the conference
VIII Be Another Conference.
another conference of the state boards
of health will be held at Washington
| Wltnln the course OF IilTee OF touf HloIIIls
| and undoubtedly the plague question viii
| be under consideration again at thai
time, and the action Of such conference
will undoubtedly be governed by the ac
| tion of the California authorities between
the present and that time. Should i
appear that the state and municipal au
| thOrities are in hearty cooperation will
| the United States public health service i
| will not be necessary for any stringent ac
| ton to be taken against California, bu
should the course of procedure be still
continued it will undoubtedly be necessar!
| to take drastic action against that state
In all probability the plague now exist
! ing at MaZatlan and other Mexican points
is due to infection from San Francisco. al
| though this is not yet fully established.