Plague at the Golden Gate - PBS American Experience

[LeftInTX]

This was fascinating. I just assumed by 1900, they knew what caused it!

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/plague-golden-gate/

[appalachiablue]

1. Plague at the Golden Gate, PBS Amer Exper, Aired May 24, 22

* PREJUDICE SPREAD FASTER THAN THE PANDEMIC

FROM THE COLLECTION: THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER EXPERIENCE

Film Description, Ver a pelicula con subtitulos en espanol, 開啟中文字幕觀看此片

More than 100 years before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world and set off a wave of fear and anti-Asian sentiment, an outbreak of bubonic plague in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1900 unleashed a similar furor. It was the first time in history that civilization’s most feared disease — the infamous Black Death — made it to North America.

Two doctors — vastly different in temperament, training, and experience — used different methods to lead the seemingly impossible battle to contain the disease before it could engulf the country. In addition to overwhelming medical challenges, they faced unexpected opposition from business leaders, politicians, and even the president of the United States. Fueling the resistance would be a potent blend of political expediency, ignorance, greed, racism, and deep-rooted distrust of not only federal authority but science itself.

Scapegoated as the source of the disease early on, the Chinese community fought back against unjust, discriminatory treatment. The gripping story of the desperate race against time to save San Francisco and the nation from the deadly disease, Plague at the Golden Gate is based in part on David K. Randall’s critically acclaimed book, Black Death at the Golden Gate.

[LeftInTX]

2. It really was a fascinating episode

There is also a bit of spoiler at the end as to why the plague really did not become "a plague" in the US

[appalachiablue]

3. Thanks for posting, I've read some about

it and how the business community wanted to keep trade open while others knew how dangerous that was, same old story. And so much panic, fear and discrimination.

I plan to watch it on PBS soon..

[wryter2000]

4. disregard my previous post

I got it to play. It sounds fascinating! Thanks for the rec.

I love this group. I get so many great ideas of what to watch.