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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-01-06, Page 5Wednesday, January 6, 2016 • Huron Expositor 5 1 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com The 'Spanish' Influenza Epidemic in Seaforth, 1918 Over 200 cases of the 'Spanish' Influenza were recorded in Seaforth in the second week of October 1918. The epidemic reached crisis proportions in Huron County and, inexplicably, no other part of the county was as heavily impacted by the flu as the Seaforth area. In Canada, the first recorded fatality of the most lethal wave of the Spanish 'flu' was a soldier who died in Halifax in Sep- tember 1918. Withinweeks, just as the Great War was in its last spasm of killing, the deadly epidemic was peak- ing eaking throughout the Dominion. The influenza outbreak in the fall of 1918 was actu- ally the second and most lethal wave of the flu. An earlier less lethal outbreak of the Spanish influenza swept through the globe earlier in the summer. The virus quickly mutated into a more lethal strain of the flu and as the soldiers began returning from Europe, they brought the dread dis- ease with them. According to Mark Humphries in 'The Last Plague', the epidemic all the more tragic because 'it tended to kill young, oth- erwise healthy adults, whose numbers were already depleted by the cas- ualties of the Great War. Although authorities expected the arrival of the epidemic, there was little evidence of panic in the local papers. The October 4, 1918, 'Huron Expositor' carried a front page adver- tisement for a Thanksgiving Dance at Cardno Hall scheduled for October 16. Other local news like upcoming 'patriotic' events to support the war effort, church socials and various lodge meetings dominated the local news. There was little indication that a terri- ble disaster had just descended upon the Huron History David Yates community. On October 3, widow Mary Matthews (70) of Dublin was the first known area fatality of the flu. She was in 'her usual good health' when she was sud- denly taken ill and after receiving last rights died of pneumonia related to the influenza. In 1918, without a federal board of health to co-ordi- nate a nation-wide response to the influenza epidemic, local councils and health officials coped with the situation as best they could. Lacking any centralized direction, in the first week of October, the Hensall and Tuckersmith councils moved to close schools, churches and 'all public entertainments' for the remainder of the month. When over 40 Collegiate students were absent on Monday, October 7th 'owing to the very serious epidemic of influenza, which is raging through the town', the Seaforth Board of Health on Tuesday, ordered the immediate closure of all schools, churches, lodges, picture shows and billiard rooms. The Women's War Auxilliary postponed the Thanksgiving dance at Cardno Hall. The Red Cross Society suspended collec- tions for the duration of the epidemic. However, the town coun- cil stopped short of closing businesses for the duration of the epidemic. Besides, any municipal order ban- ning public gatherings had no effect on automobile or rail traffic entering or leav- ing town anyway. Indeed, the railway was a prime transmitter of the disease. The 'Expositor' reported that Miss Bessie Grieve of Tara returned home to Seafroth because the influenza had closed her school. Mrs. Douglas Beatlie's of North Carolina'a visit home was 'marred' by her own illness and the of 'her home people' who were all suffering from the influenza. Mrs. W.W. Fer- guson of Wallaceburg returned home to care for her sick brother. Unsurpris- ingly, several local railway workers came down with the disease. The death of Mr. McKellar, the GTR Express Agent, and the ill- ness of his assistant, left Miss Faulkner in charge of the ticket office. On October 17 'Exposi- tor' reported that the influ- enza epidemic showed no signs of abating with over 400 flu cases reported in Seaforth alone. The first recorded influenza deaths in Seaforth occurred on October 16 when Ernest Robinson (38) a painter, and Agnes Andrews (27), a store clerk died 'in spite of every care and medical attention: The next day, Margaret O'Connell (13), a separate school student and Flor- ence Calder (28) suc- cumbed to the flu. Ger- trude Reid (28) who was described as 'a most enthu- siastic worker in all activi- ties, in connection with' the Methodist Church died on October 18. Her death was all the more tragic as their eldest son, Lance -Sargeant John Reid, was killed in France in 1915. Eight year old Agnes Habkirk of Har- purhey died on October 20th. The death of Annie Quail (28) of John Street on Octo- ber 22nd was a particularly harsh blow to the family. The same day that Quail died, a telegram was received at the home informing the family of the death of her brother in Ottawa from the same dis- ease. Quail left young daughter and husband. The other influenza death that day was town councillor William Ough- ten (43). Oughten was a 'popular' citizen in Sea - forth. He was a machinist at the Bell Munitions plant and served two years on town council. His wife and three daughters were also afflicted with the influenza but survived. John Hopper (30) went to work at the munition factory in good health but was taken ill while on the job. He retumed to his Morris Township home where he died. The Munitions factory closed for a few days when 25 workers fell ill with the influenza. The influenza spread into the townships in the last week of October. Grace Wieber (27) of Grey town- ship was pregnant. She developed influenza symp- toms and died of'perni- cious vomiting' on October 23. Wieber's death was fol- lowed by several other women in the surrounding townships who were all in their 20's. Since the task of nursing the sick children typically fell to women, many fit healthy women succumbed to the disease. Seaforth telephone oper- ator, Annie Marie Martin (22) died the same day. Miss Martin was called 'a most popular girl' in town who will be sadly missed by her many friends. The tele- phone exchange asked the public for patience as their reduced staff meant longer wait times to place phone calls. The deaths one year old infants Lloyd George Venus and Edna Stephen- son were not even reported in the local paper. Finlay McIntosh (43), a travelling salesman who lived on John Street died on November 1. He left a wife and two children who were also suffering from the influenza but by early November, the worst of the influenza epidemic in the area had subsided. Church services resumed on November 10th. The schools which were to have opened for classes on Mon- day, November 11 had an extended holiday with the announcement of the Armistice ending the Great War. The Armistice celebra- tions may have marked the end of the deadliest war in history but with thousands of people crowded together in the streets, it prolonged the epidemic and more influenza deaths in November and December. George Armstrong (35) and ea orthhuronex s ositor.co Arthur Denman (28) of Grey Township were the last area influenza deaths on December 28th and 29th respectively. The onset of winter dampened the 1918 influenza outbreak Epidemiologists disa- gree on the origins of what became known as the Spanish Influenza which claimed as many as 100 million lives between 1918 and 1920 but they all agree that the pandemic was one of the worst dis- asters in history. Although Spanish Influenza is esti- mated to have killed 50,000 people, it is seen only as a footnote to the Great War. In Seaforth, like the rest of Canada, the Spanish Influenza epi- demic was largely forgot- ten as peace and nor- malcy was restored but the world was never the same again. HAVE AN OPINION? The Huron Expositor welcomes letters to the editor. They must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for information clarification. It is importantto note, letters will not be printed without the author's name attached. All letters are subjectto editing due to possible space restriction. Letters can be dropped off at the office, mailed or emailed: The Huron Expositor 8 Main St. P.O. Box 69 Seaforth, ON NOK 1WO Shaun.Gregory@sunmedia.ca ,j www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com