BackStory

319: Overcoming An Outbreak: How San Francisco Survived the Plague

In this special bonus episode, Ed talks with<a href="https://www.davidkentrandall.com"> David K. Randall</a>, author of Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague. David tells Ed about how Dr. Rupert Blue defied conventions to get an outbreak of the plague under control in San Francisco during the early 20th century. It’s a story that can offer us some important lessons as we wrestle with our own public health crisis today.  
 
Music:
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<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Said_Lion_To_Lamb_Box_Set_Disc_3/Chainlink_Melody">Chainlink Melody</a> by Podington Bear

<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Driving/GoingForwardLookingBack">Going Forward, Looking Back</a> by Podington Bear

<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_IV_Cinematic">Winter Walk</a> by Podington Bear

<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Driving/Massive">Massive</a> by Podington Bear

<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Piano_IV_Cinematic/Pounded_Piano">Pounded Piano</a> by Podington Bear

<a href="https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Thoughtful/LightTouch">Light Touch</a> by Podington Bear <br/>
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Image: Screenshot of headline on page 5 of the Oroville Daily Register, Oroville, California, Wednesday, November 27, 1907. Source: <a href="https://slack-redir.net/link?url=http%3A%2F%2FNewspapers.com">Newspapers.com</a>


BackStory is a weekly public podcast hosted by U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Brian Balogh, Nathan Connolly and Joanne Freeman. We're based in Charlottesville, Va. at Virginia Humanities.

There’s the history you had to learn, and the history you want to learn - that’s where BackStory comes in. Each week BackStory takes a topic that people are talking about and explores it through the lens of American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversations with our listeners, BackStory makes history engaging and fun.