New-York tribune., 1907-10-04
san FRANCISCO PLAGUE
Continued from first page.

new cases. and in a sad trailing paragraph
chronicle the deaths. Names of the victims and
their addresses are not given TO the public
There need of editorials urging the
Board Of Health TO action. After getting in
touch with the public health officials at Wash
sngton. the local physicians busted themselves
with temporary measures of relief and protec-
tion. This resulted a temporary hospital
camp in a lot next TO the county hospital, which
IS in an outlying district.
FEDERAL AID CAME QUICKLY.
Washington lost no time in coming 10 San
Francisco's aid. The recognized plague author
tty in the service was Captain Rupert Blue, who
was in charge of the health and sanitation of
the jamestown exposition; In twenty-four
hours he was hurrying West, followed by DR..
Rucker. who had been in charge of the health
exhibit at the exposition, and by other surgeons
from various parts Of the country. Two officers
who had just returned from the Philippines were
intercepted by telegraph at Seattle. and forego-
ing the anticipated pleasure of leave" with
their families in the East, they hurried to San
Francisco.
Soon DR.. Blue had a force Of twelve govern
,nent surgeons, augmented by equal num-
Der Of San Francisco doctors with plague
Ierience, who were temporarily attached 10 the
service as acting assistant surgeons. The work
and go laborers
An agreement has been reached between the
government and the city authorities dividing
the expenses. The United States will pay the
experienced plague fighters while San Francisco
will pay the wages Of the laborers and furnish
all materials during the fight, which DR. Blue
does not believe can be finally ended for eighteen
CITY PLAGUE HOSPITAL
itablished on the grounds of the county hospital,
which is on the outskirts of the Mission district
"A stockade OF corrugated iron was built around
lone of the outer buildings of the hospital leav-
sng room for thirty or forty tents for plague
patients and suspected cases. AS rats are rec
sognized the principal medium for carrying the
-aisease, this stockade sunk several feet into
lshe ground and the rodents within the stockade
were killed off before the plague patients were
snstalled
A Tribune correspondent visited this tempo
Esary hospital a few days ago with several gov
lernment and local surgeons. 1t was an expe-
,Sience not soon to be forgotten and one that
comes TO few medical men even outside of San
Francisco and the government epidemic service
smiling. white capped nurse admitted the
twisting party TO the stockade through a barred
door. In a frame building in the centre Of the
shady lot was the laboratory kitchen and living
quarters for nurses and doctors. There other
young women, cheerful and smiling despite the
ssaot that their days and nights are spent with
The ~black death" all about them, tied the visit
rprs into insect proof canvas robes and swathed
their heads. with the exception of their faces,
with antiseptic towels.
There We're ten Of these young women, and
each one OF them volunteered for the plague SER
vice with full knowledge that the death penalty
might be exacted before her work was finished
up 10 the time the plague pavilion was estab-
lshed they were under training in the county
hospital, getting IS, $40 and So month, ac-
cording TO the length Of service. Their wages
have not been increased for the plague service,