Ch.1

Title: Leprosy and Plague Riot in Their Blood: The Germination of a Thesis, 1906

Introduction

• Opening quote by Mary Wilson (1906) discusses societal health concerns in relation to South Asian immigration.
• Commentary from Bellingham Herald (1907) highlights negative perceptions of Hindus, characterizing them as disease carriers.

Historical Context

• Early warnings from John A. Macdonald about potential threats from American interests regarding Canada’s future and the role of Indian soldiers.
• Acknowledgment of South Asian immigration starting around 1906 with significant numbers arriving in British Columbia (BC) and Washington State.
• Focus on the first wave of South Asian immigrants (1906–1910), largely consisting of male economic migrants lacking cultural integration.
• Arrival of over 12,000 South Asians in BC, Washington, Oregon, and California during this time period.

Political Responses and Public Sentiment

• Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier initially hesitant about barring South Asian immigration due to imperial ties.
  • Concerns over repercussions in Punjab and political discontent.
• Opposition from local politicians and the general public based on perceived health risks.
  • Emergence of anti-Indian protests based on arguments of disease transmission and unsuitability for the climate.
• Historical occurrences of anti-Asian immigration measures in other territories (New Zealand, South Africa, Australia).

Medical and Racial Theories

• Introduction of the “climate theory” as a justification for opposing South Asian immigration, claiming they were unfit for colder climates.
  • Linda Nash perspective on colonial beliefs regarding race, geography, and health.
• Discussion of miasmatic and contagionist theories that blamed immigrants for the spread of disease, with references to past cholera outbreaks.
• Shift from miasmatic theory to germ theory in contemporary medical thought but still holding onto racial biases concerning disease susceptibility.

Government Response to South Asian Arrival

• Deputy Trade Minister W.G. Parmalee’s dismissal of local fears about South Asians as overblown, countering with anecdotal evidence from Trinidad and British Guiana.
• Local BC officials’ apprehensive reaction towards South Asian immigration due to economic fears and cultural incompatibility.

Labor Dynamics

• Stereotypes formed around the work capabilities of South Asians, linking their presence to job competition with white laborers.
• Historical placement of previous immigrant groups (Chinese and Japanese) and their integration into the labor market affecting relationships with South Asian migrants.
  • Japanese immigrants perceived as a greater labor threat after the 1905 Russo-Japanese War.

Medical Inspections and Quarantine Measures

• Emergence of medical inspectors as guardians of public health coinciding with increasing South Asian arrival.
• Historical context of medical inspection practiced at ports to manage disease outbreaks and prevent immigration of perceived unhealthy individuals.
• Development of a federal Immigration Act in 1869 allowing rejection of possible public charges and lifting quarantine for infected vessels.

Popular Media and Exclusionist Rhetoric

• Vancouver’s response to South Asian arrivals in media coverage, portraying them as dangerous and ill-suited for integration.
• Newspapers highlighted living conditions termed as unsanitary, further feeding public panic over health issues.
  • Hyperbolic language around South Asians and their conditions fueling exclusionist sentiments.

Incidents and Public Panic

• Westminster Avenue incident where 250 South Asians were observed post-quarantine generating public backlash.
• Warnings from local health officials about the cleanliness and housing of South Asian immigrants.
• Dr. Frederick T. Underhill’s characterizations of South Asian immigrants as violating health norms, further heightening public fears.
• Specific incidents of alleged criminal activity and sexual violence associated with South Asians leading to moral panic among the white populace.

Government Actions Post-Panic

• Mayor Buscombe enacting illegal detentions of South Asians under public pressure without addressing the existing labor shortages and public health complaints.
• Rising calls for immediate government action regarding immigration policy based on fears of ‘Hindu disease’ and resultant public health crises.
• Lack of concrete evidence to support claims of health risks associated with South Asians despite strong public assertions against their presence.

Conclusion

• The rising anti-Indian sentiments were largely rooted in racially motivated fears about public health, labor competition, and socio-moral perceptions.
• Complicated intersections of immigrant health, racial theories, and economic insecurities shaped the reception of South Asian immigrants in 1906.
• Continued influence of these narratives in shaping immigration policy and public opinion towards South Asians in North America.
• Reflection on how these early 20th-century debates have contemporary relevance in discussions of immigration and public health concerns.

Table

Table 1: Asians Immigrating to Canada, 1904–1921

Key Figures

Medical Officials

• Dr. Peter H. Bryce: Advocated for medical inspection based on germ theory, characterized the racialized process of determining an immigrant's fitness.
• Drs. G.L. Milne & A.S. Munro: Contributed to discriminatory medical evaluations based on racial biases.

Public Figures

• R.G. Macpherson: Criticized immigrant influx based on perceived labor shortages.
• Louis D. Taylor: Noted for inflammatory public discourse against South Asians, warning about potential epidemics.

References

• Wallace, Sarah Isabel. Not Fit to Stay: Public Health Panics and South Asian Exclusion. University of British Columbia Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/west/detail.action?docID=4749925.