American Scandal The Plague of San Francisco | The Golden City | 4
9 snips
Oct 7, 2025 Dr. Rupert Blue battles apathy and political pushback to eradicate rats in plague-stricken San Francisco. Tragedy strikes with the devastating 1906 earthquake, leading to a health crisis in refugee camps. As outbreaks resurge, Blue campaigns for sanitation funds and unites a citywide effort against the plague. Tension builds as he decides whether to allow the Great White Fleet to dock. Ultimately, victory is declared, though the plague lingers in rural areas, reminding listeners of the lasting impact of public health crises.
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Convincing Landlords To Alter Chinatown
- Dr. Rupert Blue persuades reluctant Chinatown landlords to allow demolition of balconies and stoops to improve sunlight and airflow.
- Sanitation teams then fumigated, scrubbed, and removed rotting timber, replacing the district's stench with antiseptic.
Firewood Theft Sparks Discovery
- Pietro Spadafora stole discarded lumber from Chinatown and used it for fuel, later falling ill and dying from plague.
- Dr. Blue linked the infected wood's fleas to Spadafora's death and ordered disinfection and intensified rat control.
Fleas, Not Race, Explained Spread
- Dr. Blue embraced the flea-transmission hypothesis despite mainstream skepticism and racist assumptions attributing plague to Asian hygiene.
- He tested rodents and introduced rat bounties, which correlated with falling human cases.
