The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-05-15
SAN FRANCISCO
PLAGUE DANCER
DR.. Blue, the Federal Expert, Says
The Peril of Pestilence.
Is Not Over.
THE INFECTION AMONG RATS.
The City Would Make a Great Mis-
take in Dropping SAM
tation at Present.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 2.-The Bull
letin says:
San Francisco was much exercised |
some two months ago over the immi-
nence of quarantine being called on
this port on account of the presence of |
bubonic plague and was particularly |
appTehensive that the great Atlantic
fleet would not be permitted by the |
Federal authorities to land any of the
men from the vessels in this city. The
objective of clean city, and the assur-
ance that the fleet would land it's sail
ors has scarcely been attained when |
certain antagonism developed in |
some quarters against the work of the |
city Health Department and the Fed
eral Marine Hospital Service.
DR. Rupert Blue, the United States
medical expert on epidemics, was ask
ed yesterday what the probable effect !
might be on the city OF this sudden |
lapse of enthusiasm for the cause of !
sanitation. He expressed dispassion-
ately the Federal view of the
ately the Federal view of the situa-
ton.
81 have absolutely no personal inter-
est in this crusade" he said, "other |
than to do my duty by stamping out
infection as soon as possible. 1t is a |
great mistake to think of dropping the
work of sanitation at this time. Peo-
pie say we nave no human cases of
plague, so why work further? 1t is
true that there has not been a human
case since January 80, but the conta-
gion among the rats continues about
the same for the city, and so long as
it does we are not safe. Sydney, New
South Wales, had an outbreak of cpl
demic last January after the plague
had disappeared for seven months. We
should continue the crusade for six
months at least after the last human
case has been noted,
STILL CARRY INFECTION.
"The infection among rats is now six
or seven-tenths of one per cent for the
whole city, not for the particular dis
tricts where the plague is found, and
that is just about the same as it was
last September, when we had nearly
fifty human cases. The danger still
exists. Bubonic plague is the most diff
ficult and the most expensive contagion
to eradicate that is known to the medi-
cal profession because it is carried
among the rats, which are hard to
| fight.
There has been some unfortunate
antagonism to the work of the health
officials. And what have we done
nere? We have torn up some board
walks and flooring and the like. Why,
in Mazatlan, Mexico, in 1902, l think
was, they burned whole sections OF
the city to eradicate it. In Honolulu
in 1900 the authorities burned the
| whole of Chinatown for the same rea-
son. And in Hongkong every year
they destroy block after block of the
city as the only means of fighting the
epidemic. 1t is necessary because the
world will quarantine a city for sim
gle authentic case of the dread disease.
We had no quarantine here because we
did not hide our cases but let the world
know we were taking proper measures
to eradicate the contagion
Some have complained of the arbi-
trary actions and the incivility of in
spectors. l examine any complaints
that are brought to me, and when they
are warranted the man at fault is dis
missed. Where there are so many
men employed there are sure to be
some such cases, especially since $4,000
inspections are made a week. Then
: too, there are always some citizens
, who, when caught themselves, will try
to get even by reporting the inspector
: for incivility. There is no desire on our
: part, to abridge the rights of any citi-
, zen, but we must have the support OF
the city.
: CITY SHOULD ASSIST.
THE city has been spending $1,000
4 month since last November. The
Federal Government has been spend
ing $1,000 a day. 1t is manifestly UNI
fair that the Government should spend
that sum if the work is not to succeed
from lack of cooperation from the
city. Sanitary laws must be enacted
1 and enforced to make the work OF
fighting the plague possible. There is
the danger that the Federal support
; will be withdrawn altogether if no re-
Spouse to the call for cooperation is
met. The citizens health committee
. is still enthusiastic in the work. The
fund that they have raised is not ham
died by me- 1t is disbursed by their
own committee under my recommend
alton and report
at has all been explained in the
past that the danger increases with the