![]() The events that unfolded in San Francisco from 1899 to 1901-still being researched and written about more than a century later-represent one of the most infamous chapters in U.S. But the full facts surrounding Kinyoun’s reassignment and subsequent MHS career remain unknown. The prevailing belief among historians is that a troubled relationship between the two men led Wyman to demote his top scientist, a belief consistent with Kinyoun’s later criticism of Wyman and Wyman’s reluctance to ever again mention him by name. Subsequent events, however, led Kinyoun to doubt Wyman’s motives, and the issue is clouded by other ambiguities in the puzzling relationship between Kinyoun and Wyman. Sending his top scientist to the front lines may have appeared necessary. ![]() Since 1897, Wyman had been writing and speaking about plague as an ultimate test for the MHS. Kinyoun had predicted plague’s eventual arrival in the United States as early as 1895, and had begun a plague research program in 1896, which he pursued even more energetically after receiving a strain obtained from China via the U.S. The horrific ongoing Asian epidemics, which were killing thousands, and remembrance of the 14th century’s Black Death, raised the specter of unimaginable devastation if plague ever reached American shores. ports-especially San Francisco, which received heavy ship traffic from Asian cities with ongoing epidemics-and that only vigilant quarantine could keep the plague out. Like most experts, Kinyoun and Wyman believed plague cases would eventually arrive at U.S. In addition, plague-the most feared of all pandemic diseases-had been spreading globally for several years. (This often-repeated claim of a record-setting youthful promotion is perhaps an exaggeration, as at least one MHS officer, William Henry Marsh, appears to have been promoted to Surgeon before age 35). The previous year, Wyman had fought the Treasury Department to extend Kinyoun’s directorship while strongly supporting (18) his promotion to Surgeon at the (supposedly) (36) record-breaking young age of 38. Despite appearances, Wyman’s transfer of Kinyoun might not have constituted a lack of confidence in him. This sudden transfer was part of a general shake-up in MHS assignments involving a number of officers that was undertaken for unknown reasons. He replaced Kinyoun as Hygienic Laboratory director with his friend, Milton J. On 27 April 1899, Wyman suddenly transferred Kinyoun to run the enormous 32-building complex of the San Francisco quarantine station, the largest and most complete in the nation, if not the world (37).
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