The Plague of San Francisco | The Wolf Doctor | 2

0:00American scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research.

0:25It's May of 1900 in San Francisco, California. Dr. Joseph Kenyon walks quickly through the city's cramped Chinatown, the epicenter of a local outbreak of bubonic plague. For the last three months, 39-year-old Kenyon has struggled to convince people here to take the threat of disease seriously. After a disastrous attempt to quarantine Chinatown, Kenyon has settled on a new plan, the inoculation of everyone in the affected area. The Hafkin Serum is the only weapon doctors have against the plague, But whether Kinyin will be able to deploy it remains to be seen. Chinese-language newspapers have started calling Kinyin the wolf doctor and accused him of planning to poison the people of Chinatown.

1:07So Kinyin tries to keep his head down as he weaves through the crowds. But across the street, a group of men stop and stare, their eyes flashing with recognition. Kinyin quickens his pace, casting occasional nervous glances over his shoulder. So he's grateful when he reaches his destination, the Chinese consulate on Stockton Street. Kinyin is here to meet with the Chinese consul general, Hou Yao, to try and secure his support for the inoculation campaign.

1:37Hou Yao stands and extends a hand for Kinyin to shake. The consul is a dapper man in his early 30s who speaks impeccable English. Dr. Kinyin, a pleasure to meet you. You know, you've become quite the celebrity here in Chinatown. Yes, well, some degree of public scrutiny is to be expected at a time like this, I suppose. I'm afraid you're now public enemy number one here. But on the bright side, I'm sure the mayor is more than happy to yield that honor to you. When reports of plague first emerged, San Francisco's mayor, James D. Phelan, came under fire for authorizing the quarantine of Chinatown.

2:11But now Phelan is playing down the threat of disease, and Kenyon has become the focus for people's anger instead. Kenyon smiles tightly. The mayor and I don't agree on many things, Mr. Ho, but he has voiced support for this inoculation campaign, and I'm hoping you will do the same. Yes, I received your telegram. I must admit I have some concerns. I'd love to hear them. Well, Dr. Kinion, the way the Chinese community has been treated in these past weeks, the forced quarantine, the disregard of our rights, frankly, it's been disgraceful. Is it any wonder that talk of mandatory vaccinations has caused such fear and resentment?

2:49Well, the thing to fear is the disease, Consul, not the measures designed to control it. Perhaps, but many here in Chinatown no longer believe your government has their best interests at heart. And that's exactly why I need your help. You're the Consul General. They trust you. If you came out in support of the inoculations, people would listen. But you said it yourself in your telegram. This serum is far from perfect. It only reduces the risk of infection by what? By half? Yes, it doesn't guarantee immunity. That's true. But it will slow down the spread of the disease and buy us the time we need.

3:21Please, Mr. Ho, there have already been eight confirmed victims of the plague in Chinatown. The true number is probably far, far higher. And every day we don't act, the danger will only grow. Ho Yao is silent for a moment. But just as he opens his mouth to speak, a rock smashes through the window, landing on the floor at Kenyon's feet in a shower of broken glass. The two men spring to their feet. An angry mob has formed on the street outside. They're yelling and hurling more rocks at the building. Kinion pales as Hoyel looks to the exits. Doctor, you must leave now. But what about the inoculations?

3:57Will you help me? Doctor, we don't have time. There's a back door. I'll have someone show you out. Please, consul, I won't. I'm sorry. You must go. As Dr. Joseph Kinion is ushered through the consulate toward the back door, The sound of the mob seems to follow him. A terrifying, hate-filled roar. Kenyon might not understand the chants, but their meaning is clear enough. The wolf doctor and his serum are not welcome in Chinatown.

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5:55From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal.

6:19When bubonic plague hit San Francisco in March of 1900, Marine Hospital Service doctor Joseph Kenyon knew that fighting the deadly contagion would be difficult, but he could never have predicted the scale of the backlash he would face. Few in San Francisco wanted their city to be associated with a plague, so many local businessmen, reporters, and politicians did all they could to deny what was happening. Unwilling to back down, Kenyon would resort to extreme measures of his own to halt the spread of the disease. But for his many critics in California, it was Kenyon who had to be stopped, even if that meant putting him behind bars.

6:55This is Episode 2, The Wolf Doctor.

7:01It's May of 1900 at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Marine Hospital Service. Surgeon General Walter Wyman stands at his office window, gazing over Capitol Hill. With his hands clasped behind his back and his head tilted slightly to the side, Wyman looks almost serene, though he is anything but relaxed. He knows that containing the recent outbreak of bubonic plague to San Francisco is critical. Anything less could turn this localized epidemic into a nationwide crisis. And while Joseph Kinion is the one on the ground in California, it's Wyman who must answer to the U.S. president, William McKinley.

7:37There's a sharp knock on the door. Wyman turns from the window as a young aide steps inside, clutching a newly arrived telegram. He hands Wyman the message. It's from Dr. Kinion, and it's not good news. Most of the residents of San Francisco's Chinatown are refusing to cooperate with the inoculation campaign. City health officers have been going door-to-door armed with doses of the Havkin serum, but the district's ruling authority, the Chinese six companies, have been advising locals to resist the injection at all costs, claiming that the white doctors are trying to poison them. Wyman removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose.

8:15This is the news he's been dreading. With a heavy sigh, he sets the telegram aside and calls for his secretary. If Kenyon can't contain the plague in San Francisco, Wyman will be forced to focus on protecting the rest of the country. So when his secretary arrives, Wyman dictates a letter. It's a formal request to the president, asking for the authority to prevent Chinese people from leaving California. It's a controversial measure. A travel ban on the basis of a race potentially violates the Constitution. But in Wyman's mind, it's necessary. And within the hour, his proposal is on its way to the White House.

8:52By nightfall, President McKinley has approved it.

8:58In the early hours of May 21, 1900, teams of federal health officers spread out across California. They set up checkpoints at rail crossings and seaports with orders to stop all trains and ships and remove any Chinese people before they can cross state lines. Onward travel is only allowed for these passengers if they have health certificates. And that paperwork can only be obtained from Dr. Joseph Kinion in exchange for taking the Hafkin serum. With few willing to receive the injection, though, Surgeon General Wyman's order amounts to a de facto ban on any Chinese person leaving California. These checkpoints cause widespread disruption and anger.

9:37But for Kinion, the travel ban represents a significant victory. For the last few weeks, he has been feeling increasingly isolated, a lone voice in a city that is stubbornly unwilling to listen. Now at last, he believes they're taking concrete steps to fight the plague. But his optimism doesn't last. Just days after the travel ban is imposed, a Chinese merchant files a legal challenge against the measure. Kinyan is named as a defendant, but he declines to attend the proceedings. Instead, he remains at his laboratory on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, sending urgent telegrams to Washington to update them on the situation.

10:13He's worried that if the travel ban is lifted by the courts, San Francisco's Chinese residents will flee the city under cover of night and take the plague with them. So he requests the support of federal troops to prevent an exodus. But before he can get an answer, on May 28, 1900, the judge in San Francisco delivers his ruling. Any plague prevention measures that deliberately target the Chinese community are unconstitutional. And with the stroke of the judge's pen, Kenyon and his agents are forbidden from interfering any further in the lives of California's Chinese residents. It's a major blow for Kenyon.

10:48And dismayed, he sends another telegram to Wyman, saying that the decision is far-reaching and practically nullifies all acts of federal government within the state. It's the most serious blow the service has received since assuming quarantine measures. But despite his disappointment, Kenyon does not give up. Just hours after the ruling, he attends an emergency meeting of the California Board of Health. This state body has more powers than its equivalent in San Francisco, and Kenyon hopes he can persuade its members to support another lockdown in Chinatown. The meeting is a tense affair. Evidence is presented that Texas and Louisiana are introducing an embargo of all people and goods from California.

11:27Should this crisis continue, other states will likely follow suit. And if that happens, California's economy will be crippled. The room falls silent. Kenyon rises to speak, and he declares that a second quarantine of Chinatown is the only way to control the epidemic, and that the members of the State Board of Health are the only people powerful enough to impose it. At the end of the tense meeting, Kenyon's words seem to have persuaded the board. And so early the following morning, a second quarantine of Chinatown goes into effect. And this time, it's not just the local police roping off streets.

12:03Instead, an eight-foot-high fence is constructed out of wooden planks, cement blocks, and coils of barbed wire. Police are dispatched to patrol the perimeter with nothing allowed in or out, not even food. Once again, the people of Chinatown are penned in. One local Chinese newspaper says they're like fish caught in a net. And just like the last quarantine, San Francisco's businesses are soon paying the price. So with the local economy utterly dependent on Chinese labor, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce hurries to Angel Island with an offer for Joseph Kinion.

12:39Kinion is in his office, hunched over an inspection report. When there's a knock on the door, an aide steps inside. But before he can say anything, a tall, white-bearded man in an expensive, tailored suit strides past the aide into the room. Dr. Kinion, Charles Nelson from the Chamber of Commerce. It's a great pleasure to finally meet you. Well, likewise, Mr. Nelson. Nelson glances over his shoulder at Kenyon's aide, who is lingering quietly by the door. Um, might we speak privately? The matter I'd like to discuss is a little delicate. Kenyon gives a nod to his aide, who slips out of the room.

13:13Thank you. You know, some conversations are best had behind closed doors. Yeah, in certain circumstances. So, what can I do for you? Well, you know, Dr. Kenyon, I have a great deal of respect for you. You've shown admirable resolve in the face of enormous pressure. I have tried to only act in the interest of public health. That is my sole concern. Absolutely, absolutely. And my concern, naturally, is the health of the city's economy, you understand. Yes, of course. So I trust you'll appreciate my position. This fence around Chinatown may be sound policy to you, but to me, it's a noose around our neck.

13:47We rely on Chinese labor to keep this city moving. Well, then I suggest we contain the disease as quickly as possible, so things may return to normal. Yes, of course. The chamber just wondered whether there might be some room for compromise. Well, go on. Were the restrictions to be changed, loosened a bit so business can continue, the chamber would gladly express its gratitude for your service. Something discreet but substantial. Are you offering me a bribe, Mr. Nelson? No, of course not, Dr. Kinney. Think of this as a gesture of appreciation, a token of goodwill between two gentlemen who understand the stakes.

14:26Kenyon stands abruptly, his face pale. Mr. Nelson, this conversation is over. There's no need to take offense, Doctor. We're both men of the world. We know how this city works. How many of your colleagues are already on someone's payroll? Good day, Mr. Nelson. With a tight smile, the businessman stands and gathers his things. Well, this is too bad. I had hoped we could be friends. From what I hear, Doctor, you could do with some of those. This meeting with the president of the Chamber of Commerce leaves Joseph Kenyon furious. He wonders who else might be taking bribes in San Francisco and how many cases of plague have gone unreported as a result.

15:03At the very least, though, it confirms what Kenyon has long suspected, that in San Francisco, lives are cheap. It's only money that matters.

15:16As Chinatown simmers with anger behind its quarantine walls, Joseph Kinion receives a wire from Surgeon General Walter Wyman in Washington. According to Wyman, the crisis in San Francisco has caught the attention of Dr. George F. Schrader, the medical correspondent for the New York Herald newspaper. Seventy-year-old Schrader is one of the most celebrated doctors in the country, best known for attending to former President Ulysses S. Grant during his final hours. Now Schrader has declared that he's coming to California to determine once and for all if plague is present in the city. Kenyon is instructed by Wyman to meet Dr.

15:50Schrader and assist him in any way possible, but Kenyon resents this order. He suspects that Schrader is more interested in self-promotion than helping fight the plague. Still, he agrees to Wyman's order and hopes Schrader will prove a much-needed new ally. So when the famous Dr. Schrader arrives in San Francisco, Kenyon is quick to visit him at his luxury hotel. He shows Schrader a series of plague samples, then offers to take him to the autopsy of a recent suspected plague victim. The dead man does not have any obvious external symptoms. Not everyone does. But Kenyon extracts another tissue sample and shows it to Schrader under a microscope.

16:27And there they are again, the distinctive rod-shaped plague bacteria. Schrader seems convinced. On the following day, May 31st, his findings are published in the San Francisco Call newspaper. He declares that the plague is unquestionably present in the city. Kenyon is delighted. With Schrader's fame, he thinks the situation might finally be taken seriously by the public. But a day or two after this report is published, Schrader receives an unexpected visitor. He's just returning to his hotel from dinner when a tall, imposing man with a handlebar mustache stops him in the lobby. He introduces himself as California Governor Henry Gage and asks if Dr.

17:07Schrader has a moment to speak privately. The governor sends for brandy and cigars as the two men retire to Shreddy's suite. There, Gage proceeds to flatter him, telling Shreddy what an honor it is to meet such a celebrity. Then Gage starts talking about the plague rumors, complaining how hard the last few months have been for California. Shreddy nods in sympathy, but informs the governor that there are regrettably more than just rumors. He's seen one of the disease's victims firsthand. Gage eyeballs Shreddy through a cloud of cigar smoke. The sharp toes of his cowboy boots aimed squarely at the doctor.

17:42Only now does Schrader fully appreciate Gage's size. Schrader isn't a small man, but Gage towers over him, even when sitting down. Then Gage's tone hardens. He asks how Schrader can be certain that the dead body he saw was a plague victim. Schrader starts to stammer about tissue samples and bacteria, but Gage cuts him off. He says to ignore any so-called evidence shown to him by Joseph Kinion. Kinion is a federal stooge only interested in furthering his own career, and unless Schrader extracted the samples and analyzed them himself, they are not to be trusted. Schrader thinks for a moment. He admits that upon first inspection, the dead body did not show any sign of plague.

18:22It was only when Kenyon showed him the samples under the microscope that he became convinced. Gage nods, and then with feigned innocence, he says all he wants is to be certain that the plague is real, that it is spreading in Chinatown before they commit to a course of action which could do untold damage to California. Then, leaning forward, Gage tells Schrader that he would hate for California's economic collapse to rest on his conscience. Schrader wipes his sweaty palms on his knees. He mumbles something about needing to check his notes and the possibility of an oversight. Governor Gage sits back, a satisfied smile spreading beneath his mustache.

18:59He says he's confident the doctor will do the right thing. And on June 3rd, 1900, a follow-up to Schrader's article appears in the San Francisco Call under the headline, The End of the Bubonic Scare. Schrader has completely reversed his initial opinion. He now claims that the evidence for plague is inconclusive, and he sees no reason why Chinatown should remain under quarantine. In summary, he writes, I have come to the conclusion that this plague scare is absolutely unwarranted. With that, Dr. Schrader boards a train and returns to his comfortable life back east. So it will be left to Dr. Joseph Kenyon to deal with the consequences of the famous doctors about turn and the deadly cost that is to follow.

19:46Hey, Dan Taberski here. I'm a podcast host, a journalist, and now with my newest project, the author of my own manifesto. Well, it's a manifesto about manifestos. My search for inspiration in a world that feels more infuriating, more out of its freaking mind with each passing hour. Manifestos are a call to action, an artful scream. They capture our anger and they try to do something with it. This is my attempt to take the manifesto back from mass shooters and nihilists and return it to its rightful place with the warriors, the visionaries, the regular folks with just the right amount of crazy.

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21:44In early June of 1900, Dr. Joseph Kenyon appears in court in downtown San Francisco. The skeptical article, written by famous physician George F. Schrader, has emboldened the plague deniers in the city. Now they're mounting a legal challenge to the second quarantine that sealed off Chinatown, and Dr. Kinyan is determined to fight back. But his presence in court this time only makes him a target. The attorney representing the residents of Chinatown openly questions Kinyan's credentials. He calls the entire science of bacteriology a sham and mocks its practitioners as little boys playing with test tubes.