Know someone who can't stay home more than usual while we try to stifle the spread of COVID-19? Maybe that twitchy someone is you. Either way, don't feel too bad, because chances are your grand, or great-grandparents had the same propensity to go out into large groups during a pandemic.
October 1918: This is where Doctor H. L. Rockwood, in concert with acting mayor W. S. FitzGerald and public welfare director Lamar Beman came in. Not a ban as such, but a strong recommendation to suspend all gatherings until things got a bit more under control with the Spanish flu in Cleveland and Cuyahoga county.
This was in response to the practice of turning away people who looked sick only.
Nearly 102 years later, the human race faces another pandemic, and though we know so much more than we did in 1918, the advice from doctors remains largely unchanged:
Decision will be Made Today; Four More Die, 167 New Cases Reported.
Recommendation that all public gatherings, excepting Liberty loan rallies in Cleveland and Cuyahoga county be suspended until the Spanish influenza epidemic subsides, will be made this morning by Dr. H. L. Rockwood, city health commissioner, at a conference with Acting Mayor W. S. FitzGerald and Public Welfare Director Lamar T. Beman.
He will urge, however, that Liberty loan leaders be asked to refrain from holding large gatherings.
Announcement of this contemplated action was made by the health commissioner last night following a review of the day's influenza developments which be declared to be the most unfavorable since the disease has made its appearance here.
Four deaths from influenza occurred yesterday and 167 new cases were reported to the health authorities since Tuesday evening, setting a new record in each phase.
Hospital Physician Dies.
Among the victims was Dr. Samuel Stout, 24, a physician at City hospital who died after a short illness.
Fourteen new cases reported from St Luke's hospital brought the number there to forty-six, according to health officials
Most of those ill are physicians and nurses. and house doctors declared last night that as a result the hospital had to be closed to new patients and visitors. They said if any more cases appear they will have to appeal for more nurses and doctors.
Yesterday's deaths bring the total In Cleveland in the last three weeks to nineteen and the total number of reported cases to 517.
The rapid progress of the disease, which Dr. Rockwood stated has reached the epidemic stage in his opinion now demands effective counter measures.
“The situation is menacing, but there is every hope that it can be prevented from becoming dangerous if public gatherings are stopped to as great an extent as circumstances make possible and advisable, he said. "This is necessary as the contagion of the disease is spread almost entirely by human contact.
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly that during continuance of the epidemic, persons who are not compelled to go about should remain at home so far as possible.
"It had been hoped that effective work in coping with the disease might be done by voluntary action of those holding public gatherings, in refusing admittance to persons with symptoms of influenza. Developments have convinced me, however, that more radical steps are needed."
The Spanish flu killed anywhere between 17 million and 100 million persons while infecting about 27% of the world's population. My own great grandfather was a victim of the Spanish flu. He was 30 years old.
October 1918: This is where Doctor H. L. Rockwood, in concert with acting mayor W. S. FitzGerald and public welfare director Lamar Beman came in. Not a ban as such, but a strong recommendation to suspend all gatherings until things got a bit more under control with the Spanish flu in Cleveland and Cuyahoga county.
This was in response to the practice of turning away people who looked sick only.
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| Article written out below. Don't hurt those pretty eyes trying to read this. |
Don't get into large groups. Stay home if you can.
One thing they didn't have in 1918 was Facebook misinformation. I bet there were people that thought it was a big hoax perpetuated by the crooked news media.
Those people never die.
Article transcribed below:
BAN ON MEETINGS ASKED IN FLU WAR
Those people never die.
Article transcribed below:
BAN ON MEETINGS ASKED IN FLU WAR
Health Commissioner Wants All Gatherings, Excepting Loan Rallies, Barred.
Decision will be Made Today; Four More Die, 167 New Cases Reported.
Recommendation that all public gatherings, excepting Liberty loan rallies in Cleveland and Cuyahoga county be suspended until the Spanish influenza epidemic subsides, will be made this morning by Dr. H. L. Rockwood, city health commissioner, at a conference with Acting Mayor W. S. FitzGerald and Public Welfare Director Lamar T. Beman.
He will urge, however, that Liberty loan leaders be asked to refrain from holding large gatherings.
Announcement of this contemplated action was made by the health commissioner last night following a review of the day's influenza developments which be declared to be the most unfavorable since the disease has made its appearance here.
Four deaths from influenza occurred yesterday and 167 new cases were reported to the health authorities since Tuesday evening, setting a new record in each phase.
Hospital Physician Dies.
Among the victims was Dr. Samuel Stout, 24, a physician at City hospital who died after a short illness.
Fourteen new cases reported from St Luke's hospital brought the number there to forty-six, according to health officials
Most of those ill are physicians and nurses. and house doctors declared last night that as a result the hospital had to be closed to new patients and visitors. They said if any more cases appear they will have to appeal for more nurses and doctors.
Yesterday's deaths bring the total In Cleveland in the last three weeks to nineteen and the total number of reported cases to 517.
The rapid progress of the disease, which Dr. Rockwood stated has reached the epidemic stage in his opinion now demands effective counter measures.
“The situation is menacing, but there is every hope that it can be prevented from becoming dangerous if public gatherings are stopped to as great an extent as circumstances make possible and advisable, he said. "This is necessary as the contagion of the disease is spread almost entirely by human contact.
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly that during continuance of the epidemic, persons who are not compelled to go about should remain at home so far as possible.
"It had been hoped that effective work in coping with the disease might be done by voluntary action of those holding public gatherings, in refusing admittance to persons with symptoms of influenza. Developments have convinced me, however, that more radical steps are needed."
The Spanish flu killed anywhere between 17 million and 100 million persons while infecting about 27% of the world's population. My own great grandfather was a victim of the Spanish flu. He was 30 years old.
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