American Scandal The Plague in San Francisco | The Year of the Rat | 1
Sep 16, 2025
A deadly bubonic plague outbreak strikes San Francisco, igniting a fierce battle between a determined bacteriologist and indifferent politicians. Tensions rise as health officials implement quarantines in Chinatown, revealing deep-rooted societal prejudices. The tragic story of Wong Chut King, the first plague victim on the mainland, underscores the immigrant struggle during a time of crisis. As fear spreads, the urgency to confront the disease clashes with profits and power, revealing the dark side of public health responses.
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Honolulu's Destructive Quarantine
- Honolulu burned infected houses to stop plague and unintentionally left 6,000 homeless.
- A steamship later carried infected stowaways from Honolulu to San Francisco, seeding risk there.
Kinyoun's Exile To Angel Island
- Joseph Kinyoun was reassigned from Washington to Angel Island and felt exiled from meaningful lab work.
- He struggled socially and longed for his former bacteriology lab life while leading quarantine operations.
Wong Chut King's Fatal Illness
- Wong Chut King fell ill in Chinatown and died after being treated for a presumed venereal infection.
- His corpse and tissue samples ultimately became the first confirmed mainland US plague case when Kinyoun's lab tests validated plague.
