In the case of Wilson et al. v. Pacific Mail Steamship Company et al., 1927, the U.S Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a steamship company could be held liable for damages incurred by passengers due to an outbreak of bubonic plague on one of its vessels. The plaintiffs argued that the company had failed in its duty to provide safe passage by not adequately inspecting and disinfecting their ship before departure from a port known to be infected with plague-ridden rats. The defendants countered that they had taken all reasonable precautions and could not have foreseen or prevented such an outbreak. The court ruled in favor of the steamship company, stating that while carriers are indeed responsible for ensuring passenger safety, this obligation does not extend to unforeseeable circumstances beyond their control or prevention capabilities. In this instance, despite knowledge about potential risks associated with departing from an infected port, there was no evidence suggesting negligence on part of the carrier as it took appropriate measures based on prevailing standards at that time.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Wilson et al. v. Pacific Mail Steamship Company et al., argued that the majority's decision was inconsistent with previous rulings and interpretations of maritime law, particularly regarding seamen's rights to wages for services rendered on a voyage. The dissent pointed out that under international maritime law, seamen are entitled to their full wages once they have completed their service or if they are discharged before the completion of a voyage due to no fault of their own. In this case, however, the majority ruled against awarding full wages to sailors who were discharged prior to completing their journey because they had contracted diseases while at sea - an occurrence which was not within their control nor caused by any negligence on their part. The dissent contended that such ruling unfairly penalized these workers and contradicted established legal principles protecting seafarers' rights.