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American Scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events.

Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented,

but everything is based on

historical research.

It's late December, 1890 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

A group of doctors walks briskly through the deserted city hall, their kerosene lamps flickering in the darkness.

They're members of the Honolulu Board of Health, and they're meeting tonight to confront

a growing crisis. Earlier this month, one of the city's residents Board of Health and they're meeting tonight to confront a growing crisis.

Earlier this month, one of the city's residents of Chinese descent died of bubonic plague.

The board acted swiftly and quarantined the city's Chinatown where the man had lived,

but the measures didn't work because within days the disease claimed other victims,

and now cases are being detected

outside the quarantined area. Fear of an epidemic is gripping Honolulu and the Board of Health

must decide how far they're willing to go to contain the outbreak. The men file into a large room

with chairs arranged around a long wooden table.

But the doctors of two restless assist, a senior member of the board speaks first.

Well, gentlemen, I regret to say it, but our efforts to contain this plague have failed.

In my view, we have only two options.

...