User:Myokgy/sandbox

Article Evaluation:Alice Ball


 * Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?

I think mostly everything is relevant in the article except on a couple sentences that reference that she got multiple scholarships to study at the University of California-Berkeley and University of Hawaii. The information is not necessary. Yes, it is important to note that it was a feat for her as a woman of color, however, the sentence could be reworded to generalize this monumental achievement.


 * Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

The article is very informative about her life and her work. However, there is little detail about the racism she received because she was a woman of color. In the article she is referred to as the "first" African American Chemistry professor at the University of Hawaii, but the article does not talk about the racism she experienced, especially since almost none of her contributions were known until 1922.

I think there needs to be more representation on her work and how she discovered the treatment to Henson's disease. There is a whole paragraph about the previous treatment and how it was not effective, however, there are only a couple of sentences about what she discovered. There is information about her work being stolen and how she was not given credit until much later, but not how she made the discovery. In addition, there is not a lot of information on her master's thesis and her work regarding the chemical makeup of the kava plant and how that led her to being contacted by Dr Harry T. Hollmann to work on the treatment to Hanson's Disease. Most of the links work, and the sources support the claims made in the article. However, a couple links do not work, but it could be because the links are outdated. Each fact is paired with a source, however, they did not use the most credible articles. Sources such as National Geographic are not the most credible because their articles are not peer reviewed. There are other sources that are from nonprofit organizations that are often biased and have an agenda. Some of the sources are 2000-2010 and are not the most current, perhaps more information about her can be pulled from newer sources. In addition, I think there should be more information about her childhood more background on her parents and why they chose to put themselves as "white" on Ball's birth certificate. Furthermore, how racism impacts her life/work/after death can be elaborated on. There are conversations to include more background about her family, schooling, sexism she faced and what led her to choose chemistry. It is a B-class article and is part of Wiki projects such as chemistry, United States, women scientists, women's history, Hawaii, and African diaspora. In addition, it is rated C-class for the Wiki project of Biography/Science and Academia. Wikipedia talks more about her achievements than her struggles. While her achievements should not be diminished, the struggles she faced being a person of color should be elaborated on similarly to how in class we talk not only about their contributions, but the historical background and the struggles of they faced. 1924 Bubonic Plague Los Angeles sources:
 * Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
 * Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
 * Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
 * Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
 * Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
 * How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
 * How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?


 * Feldinger, Frank. A Slight Epidemic: The Government Cover-Up of Black Plague in Los Angeles : What Happened and Why It Matters. Los Angeles, CA: Silver Lake Pub, 2008. Print.
 * Anderson, Elizabeth T. “Plague in the Continental United States, 1900-76.” Public Health Reports (1974-), vol. 93, no. 3, 1978, pp. 297–301. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4595905. Accessed 4 Oct. 2020.
 * HINCKLEY, A. F., et al. “Transmission Dynamics of Primary Pneumonic Plague in the USA.” Epidemiology and Infection, vol. 140, no. 3, 2012, pp. 554–560., www.jstor.org/stable/41408386. Accessed 4 Oct. 2020.
 * Deverell, William. Whitewashed Adobe: The Rise of Los Angeles and the Remaking of Its Mexican Past. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004. Internet resource.

Background
During the 1920’s, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border to work on large plantations for people like Harry Chandler, who loved cheap compliant labor. The large plantation owners wanted open immigration because Mexicans were thought of as docile and backward. However, immigrants faced backlash from unions who wanted closed borders and were racist to the Hispanic immigrants. The unions thought that immigrants take jobs from Americans because wealthy growers like the cheap labor of immigrants. In addition, people thought that Hispanics spread crime, disease, refuse to assimilate with white Americans and lower wages for the working Americans. But people like Harry Chandler only encouraged open immigration with the Mexican Border despite the backlash from unions because he liked Hispanics because they did not intermarry and kept to themselves. Nonetheless, the reason Hispanics kept to themselves was because they were physically isolated from the white communities. There were only two districts, or ghettos, as the people of Los Angeles referred them, where Hispanics lived. One was called the Macy District (where the outbreak started) and Belvedere Gardens. In the Macy District, 3000 residents were surrounded by the Los Angeles River which had dead carcasses in it, plants that produced coal, gas, bricks and meat packing. Also, residents lived by "horse and mule yards", and by corrals inciting vermin to be nearby. In addition to being surrounded by toxic waste from the factories, the residents of Macy District were crammed into one-fifth of a square mile. Because of the limited square mileage of Macy District, these residents lived in cramped residences and had to pay high rent for houses despite the decreased standard in living conditions. Furthermore, a third of the houses had illegal apartments in which they crammed people into tight quarters where a Hispanic might have to travel through someone's else's "apartment" to get to their own room. In addition, there were only four well paved roads in the Macy District that were never inspected by the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

This is not the first time that Mexicans faced racist treatment regarding health, eight years earlier, Mexican Railroad workers had a typhus outbreak "20 miles north of Los Angeles." In this outbreak 5 Mexicans died and 22 Mexicans contracted the disease over a four month period. Health officials focused on personal hygiene and sterilizing all personal belongings. The officials required complete compliance, however, it has difficult for Mexicans to follow the regulations because the immigrants did not have access to showering facilities. Health officials had racist polices that forced Mexicans to undergo an intense cleaning process that was referred to as "forced bathing." However, these regulations were not what Mexicans needed, they needed a living wage, cleaner living conditions, a bathroom separated from the kitchen etc. (possibly adding)

Epidemiology Bold is my added info
September 28, 1924

On September 28, 1924, In the Macy Street district (present day Los Angeles Chinatown) a 51-year-old man named Jesús Lujan fell ill with a fever and a painful lump in his groin. Prior to symptoms, Lujan had discovered a decaying rat under his house and picked it up and threw it in the trash. The physician also misdiagnosed Lujan's bubonic plague as a venereal disease due to his enlarged lymph node. Even after the City health officers' confirmation of the disease as pneumonic plague, the disease was referred as "strange malady," "pneumonia," "virulent pneumonia," or "malignant pneumonia" until November 6. Investigators believed that Jesús Lujan initially contracted the bubonic form of plague. Left untreated, bubonic plague can move to the lungs and cause a secondary pneumonic infection. As Lujan's end-stage symptoms included bloody sputum, it's believed his had converted to the pneumonic form. And because he fell ill before any of the others, Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.

October 3, 1924

Within that same week, on October 3, 1924, Lujan's fifteen-year-old daughter, Francisca (Concha), also fell ill. She complained of fever and respiratory distress. In addition, both have sore throats and have aches in their backs. A physician, Dr. Porter of the Los Angeles City Health Office, who was called to the house misdiagnosed the daughter with 'lobar pneumonia' which found out to be secondary plague pneumonia. The physician also misdiagnosed Lujan's bubonic plague as a venereal disease due to his enlarged lymph node. '''Since their diagnosis, a pregnant Lucina Samarano, nurses Jesus and Francisca. '''

October 5, 1924

'''However, both never recover. 15-year old Francisca is rushed to the Los Angeles County General Hospital when her symptoms worsen, unfortunately she dies on the way in the ambulance. A physician, Dr. Webb performs the autopsy on Francisca Lajun and misdiagnosed the death as “double pneumonia'''.”

October 11, 1924

Jesus Lajun dies, however, Dr. Porter still lists his cause of death as "bronco pneumonia." However, later in a report by the Los Angeles Health Department, they acknowledge Dr. Porter as making the clinical diagnosis of the plague.

October 15-19, 1924

A young pregnant neighbor, Lucina Samarano, who had been caring for Francesca also developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. Just like Jesus and Francisca, Lucina is misdiagnosed, however her cause of death was listed as "acute myocarditis" (heart disease). In addition, her fetus is still born and her body is released to her Husband Guadalupe Samarano, who has no become infected, after no autopsy was performed. A Catholic priest, Father M. Brualla, who had administered last rites to the victims and said the requiem Mass for Samarano, as well as a dozen or so of the congregants at her funeral, developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. This is the beginning of the pandemic because Guadalupe unknowingly infected his friends and family and tragedy will strike; within a week, Lucena Samarano's entire family of eight had died.

October 22-24, 1924

Guadalupe and Jessie Flores, a neighbor and a nurse in Macy District fall ill with the same symptoms as Lucina and both go to General Hospital. Two days later and doctors misdiagnose them with severe pneumonia because no one has looked for other evidence or connected their illness to Lucina.

October 26-27, 1924

On October 26, Guadalupe dies and given an autopsy by Dr. Lawrence Parsons who lists his cause of death as "double pneumonia" without performing a bacterial test. Unknowingly the Hospital spreads the disease further by releasing Guadalupe's body back to the family on October 27, 1924. this time, the Hospital suspects something but does not know what so they have the morgue go into quarantine and do not perform autopsies for 5 days. '''At this time, the black plague has claimed five lives, all Mexican. '''

October 28, 1924

On this day, a physician George Stevens called General Hospital to report that a highly contagious disease in Macy District after he and Dr. Elmer Anderson have treated patients with similar symptoms. Stevens recommends that the hospital set up a quarantine ward. In Macy District two brothers Mike and Jose Jiminez fall ill and move away from 742 Clara street the residence of Guadalupe Samarano after getting sick with the black plague. However, this is a problem because it only quickens the spread of the plague.

October 29, 1924

More people who were in close contact with the Samarano family fall ill, including Mary Costello (a nurse who tended to Guadalupe), Fred Ortega (lived in 742 Clara street), Maria Samarano (mother of Guadalupe) and Victor (Guadalupe's brother). Maria and Victor are taken to General Hospital with Dr. Bogen after Dr. Elmer Anderson requests and ambulance for them after suspecting they had symptoms of bird flu, another deadly disease. Dr. Bogen stays in Macy District where he discovers Jesus and Maria Valenzuela (cousins of Guadalupe) are also ill but does not link their sickness to Guadalupe. Furthermore, in 742 Clara Street he finds Lucina and Guadalupe's four young children: Raul, Roberto, Gilberto, and Alfredo.  The young boys are brought to the hospital later that night in addition to six more patients on October 30, they are all diagnosed with meningitis even though their skin turned black, a hallmark symptom of the black plague.

October 30, 1924

More patients are admitted with similar symptoms and diagnosed with meningitis while other current patients die, like 10-year old Roberto Samarano after treatment of Mecurochrome drip which was thought to purify the blood and organs. Also, the Los Angeles County Hospital pathologist, Dr. George Maner, identified plague as the cause of the illness. Dr. Maner identified it from a serum sample from a patient who had died after attending Lucena Samarano's funeral. He notified the City Health Department as well as state officials. City health officials quarantined an eight-block area Clara Street where the funeral had taken place as well as a six-block area in the Belvedere district after Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.(no citation) But the quarantine ordered is considered "white" meaning that officials will not state the disease.

October 31-November 1, 1924

The Plague Serum by Alexander Yesin is ordered even though Yesin claims it has a 50% success rate. Because of the ordering of the plague serum, the United States Public Health service finally learns of the black plague in Los Angeles. The United States Public Health Service lets the United States Surgeon General, Dr. M.J White know about the situation in Macy District who orders an investigation whose findings will only go to the United States Public Service. Quarantine also begins and County Health Commissioner J.L Pomeroy has 75 police officers assist the quarantine guards. He extends the quarantine to all of Macy District on November 1. Pomeroy exceeds his authority by extending the quarantine, to make sure "Mexicans who we feared would scatter" his thought process is racist, but by doing so he saved thousands of lives. Traffic going in and out of Macy Street was not allowed and guards were placed at every home that had suspected cases of the plague. Within the quarantined area, the health department set up a temporary laboratory to quickly identify new cases. On November 1, Dias de Los Muertos, ten people died of the plague and 200 military veterans were hired to patrol Macy District with arms.

November 2, 1924

More people die of the plague. '''Unfortunately, one of the victims is Father Bruella who selflessly oversaw the last rites of many of the plague victims in his ward dies from the plague at 9 a.m. In addition to the deaths, more than 400 guards prevented people from going in or out of Macy district. The guards were armed and oftentimes shot at anything that moved. At this time, the city of Los Angeles was covering up the spread of the black plague (only a small amount of people know that the plague was killing Hispanics) by having''' The Los Angeles Times covered the quarantine as a form of pneumonia. However, eastern newspapers knew the truth and reported the outbreak as the plague.

November 3, 1924

As of November 3rd, 24 people have died over the course of two weeks (but newspapers report it as 21, to not include misdiagnosed Jesus and Francisca Lajun in the count); all but one were Mexicans who died from the pneumonic plague. As of November 3rd, all Mexicans who died go through an autopsy even if it is not suspected they died pf the plague. In addition, the authorities of Los Angeles racially quarantine "Mexican" homes even if those homes are not part of the Macy District (where the outbreak started and is currently contained) and racially quarantine the minority district of African Americans, Chinese, and Japanese. Furthermore, the port near Macy district gets scrutiny from officials: all arriving ships are inspected and fumigated while outgoing ships have to hang a yellow flag indicating the ship came from a quarantined zone which makes the ships unwelcome in other ports.

November 4, 1924

At this time, 29 people have died in total (reported as 25 in local newspapers), and the city of Los Angeles still spreads misinformation about the pneumonic plague; they link the deaths and quarantine to pneumonia. While in quarantine, the guards start to loot anything that isn't burned, however, there are no severe repercussions.

November 5, 1924

All the other people who lived in 742 Clara Street die of the black plague. As more people die, more cases are admitted into General Hospital in which doctors cover-up and spread false information of number of cases. The plague serum arrived in Los Angeles on November 5, which had been requested by the Los Angeles County General Hospital and the acting health officer of the City Health Department. But, it is only used on three patients in which Raul Samarano and Mary Costello survive.

November 6, 1924

A hispanic newspaper, El Heraldo de Mexico, is the first to acknowledge that the black plague is what is killing people in Macy District. This newspaper also reports that fleas on rats cause the black plague and following this fact, the Port of Los Angeles starts to eradicate all the rats to avoid a quarantine of the port. The death toll at this time is 30, not including the first victims, Jesus Lajun and his daughter Lucina.

November 7, 1924

El Heraldo de Mexico continues to be the only newspaper in Los Angeles to report the truth and to claim the start date of the pandemic was not October 30 (official version).

November 8, 1924

People in Macy district are advised to not congregate, by El Heraldo de Mexico and are encouraged to get a vaccine, however, people would have to leave the quarantined area to see their physician to get the serum. This means that many people only get the vaccine when they are sick enough to go the hospital in which in many cases it is too late.

November 9, 1924

Mexican workers are rehired after Mexico City complains to the United States Federal Government.

November 10, 1924

The Superintendent of General Hospital, Dr. N.N Wood officially reports nine clinically diagnosed plague cases after weeks of not reporting anything related to the plague.

November 11, 1924

Dr. N.N Wood adjusts the the clinically diagnosed cases from nine to 37 in total. In addition, Alfredo, age 12, dies after struggling for 13 days leaving only Raul to survive the plague in the Samarano family who were located in Macy District.

November 13, 1924

The quarantine has been lifted after 6 days of no new cases.

November 14, 1924

Martin Hernandez dies of the plague even though he does not live anywhere in Macy District; it is not reported to any authorities. Furthermore, the plague serum in General Hospital is not used and it unknowingly sits in the basement of the hospital.

November 15, 1924

The plague is officially declared over by local health officials even though there are still active cases of the plague in the Macy District. Also, Dr. Dickie begins his plan of exterminating the rodent population which will destroy many private homes of Mexicans. He does this by making an ordinance requiring people to keep their houses clean, allowing the government to destroy private property.

Racism

The term "Mexican" was used as race instead of denoting a country. In addition, the physicians thought that contagions were a part of race, not because of living conditions and socioeconomic status. This belief just enforced the segregationist views of the 1920's.

Changes made because of the pandemic
At the same time, the city began a citywide rat and ground squirrel extermination program. Infected rats were found in downtown, Beverly Hills, and the harbor. '''Also, to combat the plague the city started to take sanitary measures in the Macy district, they burned lumber, clothes, buried garbage, ripped siding off houses and lifted houses 18 inches off the ground so stray cats and dogs could catch and eat the rats. This left a lot of damage to the people of Macy District, but it was all legal because the city of Los Angeles did this under the guise of law. Furthermore, the houses were sprayed with sulfur, lime at rat poison was scattered all over the place and sometimes houses were sprayed with hydrocyanic gas all in an effort to get rid of the rat population. Because of the plague a committee had been established to get rid of the rat population and got $250,000 for November 1924-July 1925 and $500,000 for July 1925-July 1926 to use in rodent eradication. Also, a rat bounty was established and poison was spread all throughout Los Angeles in the hopes of eradicating rodents. ''' There are also rat-proofing methods put in place because of the pandemic.

In addition, many Mexicans were fired from their jobs due to the quarantine. In particular the hotel The Biltmore fires all of its 200 Mexican employees even if they do not live in the quarantined zones and are cleared to work by health officials.

After the plague, health officials recognized the need to have programs that spread good hygiene practices among the Mexican population. The program was supposed to fix the ignorance of Mexican immigrants to prevent disease, but the spread of disease was due to poor living conditions. Outreach did not fix the systemic problems of having access to clean water and sanitary disposal. Not having those resources made it hard for Mexicans to practice good hygiene.

Many Mexicans did not receive compensation for the destruction of their business or for any goods.

Epidemiology section from article
Traceback analysis to identify the index-patient revealed that the outbreak actually began sometime in late September or early October, 1924 in the Macy Street District. This area was one of the only districts, or ghettos, as the people of Los Angeles referred them, where Hispanics lived near downtown Los Angeles, segregated from the white communities. Furthermore, the 3000 residents of Macy Street were surrounded by the Los Angeles River where there was human waste and carcasses of animals, and factories that produced oil, lumber, bricks, and packed meat. '''In the Macy Street district a 51-year-old man named Jesús Lujan fell ill with a fever and a painful lump in his groin. Prior to symptoms, Lujan had discovered a decaying rat under his house and picked it up and threw it in the trash. Within that same week, Lujan's fifteen-year-old daughter, Francisca (Concha), also fell ill. She complained of fever and respiratory distress. A physician called to the house misdiagnosed the daughter with 'lobar pneumonia' which found out to be secondary plague pneumonia. The physician also misdiagnosed Lujan's bubonic plague as a venereal disease due to his enlarged lymph node. Even after the City health officers' confirmation of the disease as pneumonic plague, the disease was referred as "strange malady," "pneumonia," "virulent pneumonia," or "malignant pneumonia" until November 6. Investigators believed that Jesús Lujan initially contracted the bubonic form of plague. Left untreated, bubonic plague can move to the lungs and cause a secondary pneumonic infection. As Lujan's end-stage symptoms included bloody sputum, it's believed his had converted to the pneumonic form. And because he fell ill before any of the others, Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.'''

'''A week later, Francisca Lujan died. A young pregnant neighbor, Lucena Samarano, who had been caring for Francesca also developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. A Catholic priest, Father M. Brualla, who had administered last rites to the victims and said the requiem Mass for Samarano, as well as a dozen or so of the congregants at her funeral, developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. Within a week, Lucena Samarano's entire family of eight had died.''' The plague serum arrived in Los Angeles on November 5, which had been requested by the Los Angeles County General Hospital and the acting health officer of the City Health Department, but it was only secured in time to be used in one case.

On October 30, 1924, '''the Los Angeles County Hospital pathologist, Dr. George Maner, identified plague as the cause of the illness. Dr. Maner identified it from a serum sample from a patient who had died after attending Lucena Samarano's funeral. He notified the City Health Department as well as state officials. City health officials quarantined an eight-block area Clara Street where the funeral had taken place as well as a six-block area in the Belvedere district after Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.'''

'''Within the quarantined area, the health department set up a temporary laboratory to quickly identify new cases. At the same time, the city began a citywide rat and ground squirrel extermination program. Infected rats were found in downtown, Beverly Hills, and the harbor'''

Peer Review
Peer reviewed by ~Heather Rood

What did the draft do well?

I really think that the timeline idea will work well with this article and the contents within it. It will help to make the information more clear as well as easier to follow. There was a lot of really good information that is directly applicable to the article. There is also a few sources so the information is being gathered from different locations to help make the article more accurate.

What changes would you suggest the author to apply to the article?

The sentence where "There were only two districts, or as the people of Los Angeles refer to, as ghetto, where Hispanics lived" is said is a little hard to follow. I would reword this to make the information ore clear. Where are the sections going to be located within the article? With regard to the timeline section, will there be a little bit of information within the timeline then more in depth further down within the article or will all the information be included within the timeline. I think that if you put all of the information within the timeline, it may get overcrowded and defeat the purpose of condensing it. I would recommend rewording some of the sections within the background section because they were sometimes hard to follow.

What is the most important thing the author could do to improve the article?

Reorganization is necessary but I think the changes that are going to be made will help a lot with that. Maybe provide a section of what are some things that have changed due to this outbreak. Harsh thoughts and actions towards Hispanics? Increased sanitary practices? Restrictive practices against Hispanics? Who did the outbreak effect the most (only Hispanics or other ethnicities as well)? You included background on Hispanics and how this situation developed but what about the background of the pneumonic plague?

What could be applicable to your own article?

I really liked the idea of having a timeline and I may consider bringing that idea into my article to help organize the events that occurred since my article is over a very long time frame.

Respond to Peer Review
I fixed the sentence that refers to districts as ghettos, and made the sentence better. I am also keeping my timeline short and concise to leave room for details in later sections. I also reworded my background section so it flows better and is clear. In addition, I added a What Changes Happened because of the pandemic and added information about the sanitation practices that resulted from the pandemic. I am currently thinking about adding perspectives to the What changes happened section as well. I did not add information about the background of the pneumonic plague because another person is going to write that section.

September 28, 1924
On September 28, 1924, in the Macy Street district (present day Los Angeles Chinatown) '''a 51-year-old man named Jesús Lujan fell ill with a fever and a painful lump in his groin. Prior to symptoms, Lujan had discovered a decaying rat under his house and picked it up and threw it in the trash. The physician also misdiagnosed Lujan's bubonic plague as a venereal disease, due to his enlarged lymph node. Even after the City health officers' confirmation of the disease as pneumonic plague, the disease was referred as a "strange malady," "pneumonia," "virulent pneumonia," or "malignant pneumonia" until November 6. Investigators believed that Jesús Lujan initially contracted the bubonic form of plague. Left untreated, bubonic plague can move to the lungs and cause a secondary pneumonic infection. As Lujan's end-stage symptoms included bloody sputum, it is believed his had converted to the pneumonic form. And because he fell ill before any of the others, Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.'''

October 3, 1924
Within that same week, on October 3, 1924, '''Lujan's fifteen-year-old daughter, Francisca (Concha), also fell ill. She complained of fever and respiratory distress.''' In addition, both had sore throats and have aches in their backs. A physician, Dr. Porter of the Los Angeles City Health Office, '''who was called to the house misdiagnosed the daughter with 'lobar pneumonia'. The physician also misdiagnosed Lujan's bubonic plague as a venereal disease due to his enlarged lymph node.''' After their diagnosis, a pregnant Lucina Samarano, nursed Jesus and Francisca.

October 5, 1924
However, both father and daughter never recover; 15-year old Francisca goes to the Los Angeles County General Hospital when her symptoms worsen, unfortunately she dies on the way "in the ambulance." A physician, Dr. Webb performs the autopsy on Francisca Lajun and misdiagnosed the death as “double pneumonia.”

October 11, 1924
Jesus Lajun dies, however, his cause of death is listed as "bronco-pneumonia"

October 15-19, 1924
A young pregnant neighbor, Lucena(or Lucina) Samarano, who had been caring for Francesca also developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. Just like Jesus and Francisca, Lucina is misdiagnosed, however her cause of death was listed as "acute myocarditis" (heart disease). In addition, her fetus is stillborn and her body is released to her husband Guadalupe Samarano, who has now become infected, after no autopsy was performed on Lucina. A Catholic priest, Father M. Brualla, who had administered last rites to the victims and said the requiem Mass for Samarano, as well as a dozen or so of the congregants at her funeral, developed the same respiratory symptoms and died days later. This is the beginning of the pandemic because Guadalupe unknowingly infected his friends and family and tragedy will strike; within a week, Lucena Samarano's entire family of eight had died.

October 22-24, 1924
Guadalupe and Jessie Flores, a neighbor and a nurse in Macy District fall ill with the same symptoms as Lucina and both go to General Hospital. Two days later and doctors misdiagnose them with severe pneumonia because no one has looked for other evidence or connected their illness to Lucina.

October 26-27, 1924
On October 26, Guadalupe dies and given an autopsy by Dr. Lawrence Parsons who lists his cause of death as "double pneumonia" therefore no bacterial test was performed to check for the black plague. Unknowingly the Hospital spreads the disease further by releasing Guadalupe's body back to the family on October 27, 1924. This time, the Hospital suspects something but does not know what, so, they have the morgue go into quarantine and do not perform autopsies for five days. At this time, the black plague has claimed five lives, all Mexican.

October 28, 1924
On this day, a physician George Stevens called General Hospital to report that a highly contagious disease in Macy District after he and Dr. Elmer Anderson have treated patients with similar symptoms. Stevens recommends that the hospital set up a quarantine ward. In Macy District two brothers Mike and Jose Jiminez fall ill and move away from 742 Clara street the residence of Guadalupe Samarano after getting sick with the black plague. However, this is a problem because it only quickens the spread of the plague.

October 29, 1924
More people who were in close contact with the Samarano family fall ill, including Mary Costello (a nurse who tended to Guadalupe), Fred Ortega (lived in 742 Clara street), Maria Samarano (mother of Guadalupe) and Victor (Guadalupe's brother). Maria and Victor are taken to General Hospital with Dr. Bogen after Dr. Elmer Anderson requests and ambulance for them after suspecting they had symptoms of bird flu, another deadly disease. Dr. Bogen stays in Macy District where he discovers Jesus and Maria Valenzuela (cousins of Guadalupe) are also ill but does not link their sickness to Guadalupe. Furthermore, in 742 Clara Street he finds Lucina and Guadalupe's four young children: Raul, Roberto, Gilberto, and Alfredo. The young boys are brought to the hospital later that night in addition to six more patients on October 30, they are all diagnosed with meningitis even though their skin turned black, a hallmark symptom of the black plague.

October 30, 1924
More patients are admitted with similar symptoms and diagnosed with meningitis while other current patients die, like 10-year old Roberto Samarano after treatment of Mercurochrome drip which was thought to purify the blood and organs. '''Also, the Los Angeles County Hospital pathologist, Dr. George Maner, identified plague as the cause of the illness. Dr. Maner identified it from a serum sample from a patient who had died after attending Lucena Samarano's funeral. He notified the City Health Department as well as state officials. City health officials quarantined an eight-block area Clara Street where the funeral had taken place as well as a six-block area in the Belvedere district after Jesús Lujan was identified as the index-patient.''' But the quarantine ordered is considered "white" meaning that officials will not state the disease.

October 31-November 1, 1924
The Plague Serum by Alexander Yesin is ordered even though Yesin claims it has a 50% success rate. Because of the ordering of the plague serum, the United States Public Health service finally learns of the black plague in Los Angeles. The United States Public Health Service lets the United States Surgeon General, know about the situation in Macy District who orders an investigation whose findings will only go to the United States Public Service. Quarantine also begins and County Health Commissioner J.L Pomeroy has 75 police officers assist the quarantine guards. He extends the quarantine to all of Macy District on November 1. Pomeroy exceeds his authority by extending the quarantine, to make sure "Mexicans who we feared would scatter." His thought process is racist, but by doing so he saved thousands of lives. Traffic going in and out of Macy Street was not allowed and guards were placed at every home that had suspected cases of the plague. However, there was an exception to the "no exit/no entry" rule, laborers were allowed to leave quarantine to work on the railroad and agriculture. Within the quarantined area, the health department set up a temporary laboratory to quickly identify new cases. On November 1, Dias de Los Muertos, ten people died of the plague and 200 military veterans were hired to patrol Macy District with arms.

November 2, 1924
More people die of the plague. Unfortunately, one of the victims is Father Bruella who selflessly oversaw the last rites of many of the plague victims in his ward dies from the plague at 9 a.m. In addition to the deaths, more than 400 guards prevented people from going in or out of Macy district. The guards were armed and oftentimes shot at anything that moved. At this time, the city of Los Angeles was covering up the spread of the black plague (only a small amount of people know that the plague was killing Hispanics) by having The Los Angeles Times cover the quarantine as a form of pneumonia. However, eastern newspapers knew the truth and reported the outbreak as the plague.

November 3, 1924
As of November 3rd, 24 people have died over the course of two weeks (but newspapers report it as 21, to not include misdiagnosed Jesus and Francisca Lajun in the count); all but one were Mexicans who died from the pneumonic plague. As of November 3rd, all Mexicans who died go through an autopsy even if it is not suspected they died pf the plague. In addition, the authorities of Los Angeles racially quarantine "Mexican" homes even if those homes are not part of the Macy District (where the outbreak started and is currently contained) and racially quarantine the minority district of African Americans, Chinese, and Japanese even though there is no plague located in those districts. Furthermore, the port near Macy district got scrutiny from officials: all arriving ships are inspected and fumigated while outgoing ships have to hang a yellow flag indicating the ship came from a quarantined zone which makes the ships unwelcome in other ports.

November 4, 1924
At this time, 29 people have died in total (reported as 25 in local newspapers), and the city of Los Angeles still spreads misinformation about the pneumonic plague; they link the deaths and quarantine to pneumonia. While in quarantine, the guards start to loot anything that isn't burned, however, there are no severe repercussions for the guards who loot.

November 5, 1924
All the other people who lived in 742 Clara Street die of the black plague. As more people die, more cases are admitted into General Hospital in which doctors cover-up and spread false information of number of cases. The plague serum arrived in Los Angeles on November 5, which had been requested by the Los Angeles County General Hospital and the acting health officer of the City Health Department. But, it is only used on three patients in which Raul Samarano and Mary Costello survive. A six-block area of Belvedere gardens was quarantined after a nurse investigation into Belvedere Gardens after two people who lived there died.

November 6, 1924
A Hispanic newspaper, El Heraldo de Mexico, is the first to acknowledge that the black plague is what is killing people in Macy District. This newspaper also reports that fleas on rats cause the black plague and following this fact, the Port of Los Angeles starts to eradicate all the rats to avoid a quarantine of the port. Furthermore, officials  were scared that even if there is a suspicion of plague, that ships will stop coming to the Port of Los Angeles, affecting commence in Los Angeles. The death toll at this time is 30, not including the first victims, Jesus Lajun and his daughter Lucina.

November 7, 1924
El Heraldo de Mexico continues to be the only newspaper in Los Angeles to report the truth and to claim the start date of the pandemic was not October 30 (official date claimed by the City officials).

November 8, 1924
People in Macy district are advised to not congregate, by El Heraldo de Mexico and are encouraged to get a vaccine. However, people would have to leave the quarantined area to see their physician to get the serum. This means that many people only get the vaccine when they are sick enough to go the hospital in which in many cases it is too late.

November 9, 1924
Mexican workers are rehired after Mexico City complains to the United States Federal Government after 200 Mexican workers are controversially dismissed from The Biltmore Hotel because of the prejudices against Hispanics due to the plague affecting a Hispanic district. The majority of the Mexican employees who were fired did not even live in Macy District.

November 10, 1924
The Superintendent of General Hospital, Dr. N.N Wood officially reports nine clinically diagnosed plague cases after weeks of not reporting anything related to the plague.

November 11, 1924
Dr. N.N Wood adjusts the clinically diagnosed cases from nine to 37 in total. In addition, Alfredo, age 12, dies after struggling for 13 days leaving only Raul to survive the plague in the Samarano family who were located in Macy District.

November 13, 1924
The quarantine has been lifted after 6 days of no new cases.

November 14, 1924
A man named Martin Hernandez dies of the plague even though he does not live anywhere in Macy District; his case is not reported to any authorities. Furthermore, the plague serum in General Hospital is not used and it unknowingly sits in the basement of the hospital.

November 15, 1924
The plague is officially declared over by local health officials even though there are still active cases of the plague in the Macy District. Also, Dr. Dickie begins his plan of exterminating the rodent population which will destroy many private homes of Mexicans. He does this by making an ordinance requiring people to keep their houses clean, allowing the government to destroy private property.

Changes made because of the pandemic
'''At the same time, the city began a citywide rat and ground squirrel extermination program. Infected rats were found in downtown, Beverly Hills, and the harbor.'''

In the aftermath of the plague, it reinforced views that all Mexicans were poor, of a degraded class and lived in conditions with rats in which some individuals believed that the plague was of ethnic traits; for example, one professor at the University of California believed that the Mexicans who have a tendency to "huddle together," spread disease.

After the plague, health officials recognized the need to have programs that spread good hygiene practices among the Mexican population. The program was supposed to fix the ignorance of Mexican immigrants to prevent disease, but the spread of disease was due to poor living conditions. Outreach did not fix the systemic problems of having access to clean water and sanitary disposal. Not having those resources made it hard for Mexicans to practice good hygiene.