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Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Sun Mar 29, 2020, 07:42 AM Mar 2020

From my local paper; look back at coverage from Oct 1918 (sounds eerily familiar)

https://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/look-back-at-the-flu-pandemic-in-auburn-schools-theaters/article_03db77b1-891c-53b8-9cad-8b7dc9da5765.html (it's paywalled so the link is worthless w/o a subscription - see below for the content and context of the article) :

(Editor's note: In light of the coronavirus pandemic, The Citizen is using its regular Look Back feature to republish its coverage of the 1918 flu pandemic, and how it affected Auburn and the surrounding areas.)

Oct. 8, 1918

SCHOOLS AND THEATERS CLOSE TO CHECK PLAGUE

Officials Take Drastic Measures to Curb Influenza—Koon Cautions Against Needless Panic.

TWO DIE OF DISEASE IN PAST 24 HOURS; 972 PUPILS OUT BECAUSE OF ILLNESS

Liberty Loan Parades Called Off and Woman's Union Stops Classes and Closes Library—Doctor O'Neill Stricken With Malady—Only Three Physicians Report Their Cases—Authorities Expect to Get Epidemic Under Control Soon.

The seriousness of the situation here in Auburn regarding the spread of Spanish influenza is at last being realized and the Health Department has taken steps to stem the tide.

At a meeting this morning between Health Officer Thomas C. Sawyer, Health Commissioner Albert H. Nichols and Superintendent of Schools Henry D. Hervey, it was decided to order the schools, public, parochial and otherwise, closed immediately.

There will be no movies or theatrical performances tonight, and all schools will close down this afternoon until further notice. As an example of the extent to which the disease has become epidemic here in Auburn, one physician reports that he had over 200 calls yesterday. He hustled for all he was worth and only succeeded in reaching 79 families. He reports that it is his opinion all those he visited were cases of the dread scourge.

</snip>


There goes my plans to see the new Chaplin short tonight...
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From my local paper; look back at coverage from Oct 1918 (sounds eerily familiar) (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Mar 2020 OP
My great great grandmother died that very month The Genealogist Mar 2020 #1
K and R dewsgirl Mar 2020 #2
After I consumed Hot Zone I read Pandemic...I am NOT a reader, meaning it has to be of HIGH samnsara Mar 2020 #3
My grandfather was a Doughboy in an army camp waiting to ship off to France. Itchinjim Mar 2020 #4

The Genealogist

(4,723 posts)
1. My great great grandmother died that very month
Sun Mar 29, 2020, 08:00 AM
Mar 2020

On Halloween. Cause of death: influenza. Another genealogist cousin who has a family group set up on line posted the image of her death certificate (Missouri has death certificates from 1910-1969 on line) to underscore the seriousness of pandemics, specifically this one.

I want to give this cousin a big shout-out here. She is an outspoken and proud Democrat who was heartbroken when Senator Warren dropped out.

samnsara

(17,572 posts)
3. After I consumed Hot Zone I read Pandemic...I am NOT a reader, meaning it has to be of HIGH
Sun Mar 29, 2020, 08:17 AM
Mar 2020

...interest to me to even keep me reading past the first few pages. Both these books were hard to put down.

Itchinjim

(3,083 posts)
4. My grandfather was a Doughboy in an army camp waiting to ship off to France.
Sun Mar 29, 2020, 10:14 AM
Mar 2020

He got horribly sick with the flu and was kept off the transport. When he recovered, he was told that his two younger sisters had died of it at home.

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