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Eradicating Plague from San Francisco ERADICATING PLAGUE FROM SAN FRANCISCO Report of the Citizens' Health Committee And An Account of Its Work With brief descriptions of the measures taken, copies of ordinances in aid of sanitation, articles by sanitarians on the nature of plague and the best means of getting rid of it, facsimiles of circulars issued by the committee and a list of subscribers to the health fund. March 31, 1909 PREPARED BY FRANK MORTON TODD Historian for the Committee O 1^ E >*- re 5h5e hoi ^ PRESS OF C.A.MURDOCK £» Co. , SAN FRANCISCO CD CD SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF HEALTH. From September to December, 1907. WILLIAM OPHULS, M. D., President GUY E. MANNING, M. D. T. G. McCONKEY, M. D. F. DUDLEY TAIT, M. D. T. W. HUNTINGTON, M. D. For 1908. WILLIAM OPHULS, M. D., President T. W. HUNTINGTON, M. D. GUY E. MANNING, M. D. E. D. BULLARD CURTIS HILLYER JOHN P. McLaughlin WILLIAM F. WILSON 4<&2S5 CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. MARTIN REGENSBURGER, M. D., (of San Francisco), President WALLACE A. BRIGGS, M. D., (of Sacramento), Vice- President. N. K. FOSTER, M. D., (of Oakland), Secretary F. K. AINSWORTH, M. U., (of San Francisco) A. C. HART, M. U., (of Sacramento) 0. STANSBURY, M. D., (of Chico) ^ W. LE MOYNE WILLS, M. D., (of Los Angeles) THE FEDERAL SANITARY OFFICERS SERVING IN SAN FRANCISCO. P. A. SURGEON RUPERT BLUE, Commanding; from Sep- tember 7th, 1907, to the present time. P. A. SURGEON W. COLBY RUCKER, Executive Officer; from September 12th, 1907, to the present time. P. A. SURGEON C. W. VOGEL; 12th Provisional Plague District—from September ITth, 1907, to November 6th, 1907. 5th Provisional Plague District—from Novem- ber 7th, 1907, to May 16th, 1908. P. A. SURGEON R. H. CREEL; 1st Provisional Plague District—from Sejitember 17th, 1907, to January 7th, 1908. 6th Provisional Plague District—from January 8th, 1908, to November 1st, 1908. P. A. SURGEON CARROLL FOX; ' 6th Provisional Plague District—from September 24th, 1907, to January 8th, 1908. Pathologist from January 9th to November 24th, 1908. P. A. SURGEON G. W. McCOY; Bacteriologist from March 16th, 1908, to present time. ASSISTANT SURGEON J. R. HURLEY; Staff duty General Headquarters from October 1st, 1907, to October 10th, 1907. 11th Provisional Plague District—from October 11th, 1907, to April oth, 1908. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON BRUCE FFOULKES; 5th Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to November 7th, 1907. 12th Provisional Plague District—from No- vember 8th, 1907, to February 4th, 1909. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON P. M. THOMAS; 2nd Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to February 4th, 1909. 5th Pro\isional Plague District—from May 16th, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON L. S. SCHMITT; 4th Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to February 4th, 1909. Gth Provisional Plague District—from Novem- ber 1st, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. 2nd Sanitary Division—from February 4th, 1909, to present time. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON J. L. HOWARD; 9th Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to February 4th, 1909. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON G. A. WEYER; llth Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to October llth, 1907. 8th Provisional Plague District—from April 27th, 1908, to July 15th, 1908. 7th and 8th Provisional Plague Districts—from July 16th, 1908, to August 7th, 1908. Sub-12th Provisional Plague District—from August 8th, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON C. H. WOOLSEY; 3rd Provisional Plague District—from September 23rd, 1907, to October 31st, 1908. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON G. M. CONVERSE; Provisional Plague District Sub. 1—from October 19th, 1907, to February 4th, 1909. 1st Provisional Plague District—from January 8th, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. 3rd Provisional Plague District —from October 31st, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. First Sanitary Division—from February 4th, 1909, to present time. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON II. H. HOPKINS; Sub. 12th District—from November 1st, 1907, to July 20th, 1908. MEDICAL INSPECTOR A. D. PRENTICE; lOth Provisional Plague District—from March 2nd, 1908, to October 31st, 1908. ; MEDICAL INSPECTOR HERBERT GUNN; 8th Provisional Plague District—from March 20th, 1908, to April 27th, 1908. 11th District—from April 28th, 1908, to February 4th, 1909. PASSED ASSISTANT SURGEON H. A. STANSFIELD; Bacteriologist to March 14th, 1908. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON JOHN N. FORCE; May 6th, 1908, to October 31st, 1908. GAVIN J. TELFER, M. D. July 14th, 1908, to August 8th, 1908. (C. H. C. & Fed.) ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON MORTON R. GIBBONS August 17th, 1908, to February 4th, 1908. ACTING ASSISTANT SURGEON HERMAN J. SCHLAGATER; August 17th, 1908. THE CITIZENS' HEALTH COMMITTEE OF SAN FRANCISCO. GENERAL COMMITTEE. Homer S. KinG, Chairman L. M. King, Secretary E. II. RlXPORD R. H. Swayne GusTAVE Brenner Capt. II. W. Goodall T. C. Friedlander James McNab H. H. Sherwood A. W. Scott, Jr. Frank J. Symmes L. M. King Charles C. Moore Walter ]\Iacarthur Harry M.~ Sherman, M. D. John Gallwey, I\I. D. Martin Regensburger, M. D. Langley Porter, M. D. John M. Williamson, M. D. H. C. MOFFITT, M. D. George H. Evans, M. D. P. M. Jones, M. D. Charles G. Levison, M. D. F. Dudley Tait, M. D., vice JA]^1ES H. Parkinson, M. D. E. N. Ev^ER, M. D., resigned N. K. Foster, M. D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Charles C. INIoore, Chairman GusTAVE Brenner Walter Macarthur Geo. H. Evans, M. D. A. W. Scott, Jr., vice Frank J. Symmes, resigned ERADICATING PLAGUE FROM SAN FRANCISCO. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page. Transmission of the Report 7 Chapter. I. The San Francisco Epidemics 9 II. The Plague 12 III. B. Pestis 14 IV. Ancient Epidemics 15 V. The Role of the Rat 19 VI. The Flea 24 VII. The Present Pandemic 28 VIII. The First San Francisco Outbreak 30 IX. Favorable Soil 34 X. The Return of the Pest 38 XI. Mayor Taylor Appeals to Washington .... 39 XII. Rat Cases Increase 40 XIII. Waking up the Public 42 XIV. The January Mass Meeting 45 XV. The Citizens' Health Committee 49 XVI. The People 52 XVII. Presenting the Problem 55 XVIII. Getting Down to Work 58 XIX. Organization of the Citizens' Health Com- mittee 59 XX. Forming the Sub-Committees 72 (3) 4 Table of Contents Chapter. Page. XXI. The Opening Guns 75 XXII. A City of Meetings 81 XXIII. Work in the Field 84 XXIV. Financing the Campaign 85 XXV. Work of the Sub-Committees 91 XXVI. Organized Labor 99 XXVII. The Clergy's Part 101 XXVIII. The Japanese in San Francisco 104 XXIX. Improvement Club Work 108 XXX. Work of San Francisco's Women 110 XXXI. The Public Schools 118 XXXII. IMain Points of Attack 122 XXXIII. Garbage 123 XXXIV. The Water Front 126 XXXV. Butchertown 129 XXXVI. Stables and Manure 131 XXXVII. Warehouses 136 XXXVIII. Markets, Restaurants and Hotels 138 XXXIX. Chicken Yards 139 XL. Domestic Rat Harbors 141 XLI. Sewers ; and the Rag Industry 144 XLII. The Produce and Commission District 146 XLIII. The First Six Weeks 151 XLIV. Non-Political Appointments and the Total Graft 153 XLV. IIouse-to-House Inspections 155 XLVI. Bounties, Traps and Poison 158 XLVII. Some Minor Details of Committee Work. 161 Table op Contents 5 Chapter. Page. XLVIII. Keeping the Public Temper Sweet 165 XLIX. In Other Bay Cities 167 L. Some Negative Results 170 LI. City, State and Local Health Officials 172 LII. Closing the Work 173 LIII. Mutual Obligations 178 Approval of Accounts 180 Financial Statement 181 Certificate of Audit by Lester Herrick & Herrick 182 Some Statistics of the Campaign 183 Invitation to the Banquet 184 Appendix 185 LIST OF ILTAISTRATIONS. Page. The New San Francisco Frontispiece The Federal Sanitary Officers 11 One of the Regiments of Health 17 An Insulated Hospital 23 Getting Ready for a Day's Work 27 The Intelligence Department 33 Way for the Cat! 37 A Liquid-Ammunition Car 43 One of the Trapping Squads 47 Sterilizing a Building 53 The Only Good Rat is a Dead Rat 57 This Sort of Thing Had to Go 65 The Kind of Stable that was Condemned 73 What a Plague Spot is 79 Evicting Rodent Tenants 87 Real Cleaning up 95 Making a Plague-Proof City 103 Where Contagion Might Breed Ill If You Must Keep Chickens 119 Sanitary Requirements Satisfied 127 What the Basement Gave Up 135 The People at Work 143 Building Out the Plague 149 Clean Enough to Eat From 157 Why Fleas Are So Scarce 163 Enforcing Science and Health 169 The San Francisco Way 175 (6) LETTER OF TRANSMISSION. To his Honor, Edward Robeson Taylor, Mayor of San Francisco. Dear Sir: Upon the eradication of bubonic plague from San Francisco, the Citizens' Health Committee ends its labors and makes to you its final report. Its members were appointed by you on January 28, 1908, to secure the co-operation of the San Francisco public with the sanitary forces of the City, State and Federal govern- ments then endeavoring to protect this city and the entire United States from impending pestilence. That San Francisco made a new record in sanitation, that the plague x^eased and no trace of it can now be found on this peninsula, are sufficient evidence that, with the help of the public, the Committee dis- charged the obligation laid upon it ; for without that concerted action of the whole people of San Francisco which this body was appointed to promote, no such fortunate outcome would have been possible. The people of San Francisco have the satisfaction of know- ing that they protected not merely their City, but the country at large. Had anti-plague measures failed here, the spread of the disease would have been extremely difficult to control.
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