The San Francisco call., 1908-03-07

~ DIToR of The Call: 1t has been
II my habit during the last few
months to read fully the inform
alton published relative to the
plague situation. In addition. my inter-
est has led ma to talk upon this sub
iect with men and women represent
ing most lines of work. What might
say will doubtless add nothing new to
this discussion, out as layman, as one
who is in no way connected with the
official work of plague lighting. 1 offer
the results of my observations to the
people.
Ny languid interest in the question
was aroused some five months ago by
the remarks of a city physician.
listened with some incredulity to his
tale of rats. flies. fieas, filth, germs,
plague epidemic, drastic measures, fed
eral quarantine, etc. At the end of an
effective pause 1 questioned the ground
of his faith in these things and got
the ground, acres and acres, of it. What
/ then learned regarding the d1SSemlna-
tion of the plague, and the scientific
method of lighting 1T has been seat
tered broadcast over the city by the
press and by the handbills issued by
the citizens health committee.
| But before this enlightened cam
paign began, with my mind partly
opened to the situation as understood
| by the medical man. / began to seek
the opinion of the casually met cit1-
zen. l was surprised to find no one
| alarmed. The consensus of opinion
pointed to doctors scare or pos
sible graft" The whole business was
scheme to bring the medical pro-
fession profitably before the footlignts'
said some. The idea seemed to pre-
vail that the entire plague situation
should be kept out OF public discus
sion.
/ To spread the news that plague in
fected rats were running about the
streets would be form of treason
1t was the duty of every loyal citizen
| to deny the possibility of such a condi-
! tion. Some men were honest in the
! opinion that under no condition could
! city situated as San Francisco be
plague victim. and gave as basis OF
their belief the decision of some prac-
ticing physicians. while others feared 70
injure business, retard investment ana
general Improvement.
| But all that was some months ago
Today we see a different picture. We
see the community, backed by conserv-
ative business and professional men,
| carrying on a great scient1tc clean
up" which IL carried to completion not
only will remove the possibility or cpl
demic but also lessen IN great OoSIoo
the danger arising from other malig-
nant diseases which are carried through
| the filth OF a great city.
This change in public opinion in so
| short a time has been marvellous
| thing From a desire to deny that a
plague germ had even entered the
| Golden gate we have the widest pub
licity given to the under world Of rat
| dom. And from a tendency TO throw
| ridicule upon the so termed calamity
| bowling, graft seeking medical fra
| ternity. we see most enthusiastic
conversion to the principles and meth
! ods taught by them in this matter
| 1t is an evident fact brought to light
| by recent Investigations that this city
and the bay cities as well were upon
the verge Of a calamity. from flnan-
cial point of view. far greater than
the one of well remembered date We
are also led to hope that this danger
is passing because of the application Of
expert methods in sanitation.
In the reports of this work pub
| lished daily the names of the federal
| physicians and the names of well
known city practitioners predominate-
We are told that one of these doctors
| in person will carry the news of our
sanitary conditions to the oncoming
fleet
Also we are told that his report to
the federal government will decide for
US whether or not the funds raised for
the entertainment of the feet will be