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Archiver > FOLKLORE > 2005-11 > 1132232809


From: "Jakki" <>
Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] Influenza epidemic
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 05:06:49 -0800
References: <000d01c5ca26$a28ffac0$5520fdce@IoneCook><1861.4.157.38.186.1128568948.squirrel@www.isp.com><BAY104-DAV9BE633952B2AC7F44AEBDB3850@phx.gbl> <4344B277.7010206@cableone.net><011d01c5e6c8$fcd6a420$6401a8c0@JakkiLutz> <437C0A1B.304@cableone.net>


Darn, it was quite interesting.
Jakki


----- Original Message -----
From: "Alice Rickel" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2005 8:42 PM
Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] Influenza epidemic


> Jakki,
>
> To post the 2nd part I would have to buy the article. Sorry about that.
>
> Alice
>
>
> Jakki wrote:
>
>
> >Alice,
> >
> >Did you ever post part 2 on this? If you did, I missed it,
> >Can you send it to me off line if you have already posted it?
> >Thanx,
> >
> >Jakki
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Alice Rickel" <>
> >To: <>
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 9:13 PM
> >Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] Influenza epidemic
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>*Posted May 13, 2003 *
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>* Sheboygan couldn’t escape flu epidemic*
> >>
> >>/
> >>/
> >>
> >>/This is the first of two parts/
> >>
> >>In 1914, the dark clouds of the world’s first modern war rolled across
> >>Europe. Soon most of the continent was embroiled in a grinding calamity
> >>that would claim the lives of millions, both military and civilian. The
> >>incessant chatter of the machine gun and the roar of modern artillery
> >>exacted a death toll undreamt of before World War I.
> >>
> >>The stage was now set for the worst disaster in the history of mankind
> >>-- not the war, but the Spanish flu pandemic of 1917-18.
> >>
> >>The flu spread around the world in the incredible time of two months.
> >>
> >>The war had caused millions of people to move about, spreading the virus
> >>wherever they went. A catastrophe ensued that was to kill more people
> >>worldwide than all the plagues in history combined. More than half of
> >>the world’s population was affected; every land mass on the globe
> >>suffered from the unknown disease except Antarctica. The exact death
> >>toll across the world was never known, but it was estimated at 40
> >>million to 50 million. In India alone, 10 million died.
> >>
> >>Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States, had vowed to send no
> >>American boys to die in foreign wars. But as the war ground down to a
> >>hellish stalemate, the United States was steadily drawn into the
> >>horrible whirlwind of destruction. Finally, on April 6, 1917, with a
> >>great deal of reluctance and sadness, Wilson sent a declaration of war
> >>to Congress.
> >>
> >>The United States Army at the start of World War I numbered but 200,000
> >>men, and when an urgent call went out for volunteers, young men
> >>responded by the millions.
> >>
> >>The population of Sheboygan County in 1917 was about 58,000; of that
> >>number, more than 2,500 young men volunteered. The City of Sheboygan,
> >>with a population of 30,000, contributed an astonishing 1,500
> >>volunteers. Little did these young men realize that the greatest threat
> >>to their lives would not be the war, but a deadly disease.
> >>
> >>At least one Sheboygan World War I veteran in later years would claim
> >>that while the flu was killing millions worldwide, it may have saved his
> >>life.
> >>
> >>When Pvt. Henry Wirtz arrived in France, he and his best friend were
> >>both stricken with the flu and survived. Meanwhile, his unit had been
> >>sent to the front and suffered heavy casualties. By the time Private
> >>Wirtz recovered from his illness, the war was over and he was shipped
> >>back home.
> >>
> >>In Wisconsin and Sheboygan, little heed was paid to the deadly malady,
> >>but the Spanish flu would soon extract a terrible toll on our city and
> >>the state.
> >>
> >>In the U.S., the flu was first noted at Fort Riley, Kan., when on March
> >>18, 1918, several men reported to the base hospital with flu-like
> >>symptoms. By week’s end, more than 500 men were ill. No attempt was made
> >>to restrict the movement of troops as thousands were shipped to Europe,
> >>further spreading the virus.
> >>
> >>The symptoms of the mystery illness were high fever, severe aches and
> >>pains in the joints and life-threatening lung congestion; people between
> >>the ages of 20 and 40 were most often affected. For some strange reason,
> >>the elderly and the young were bypassed by the virus.
> >>
> >>Before the flu pandemic was over, 600,000 Americans died. That’s
> >>equivalent of almost 2,000 people dying per day for 10 months. During
> >>that same time, 13,000 people died in Philadelphia alone.
> >>
> >>In October 1918, the worst month of all, 195,000 Americans died.
> >>
> >>By early summer 1918, the first cases of the Spanish flu began to appear
> >>in Sheboygan. Health authorities here as well as the rest of the country
> >>were helpless as the disease ravaged Sheboygan and Wisconsin.
> >>
> >>/Next week part two: Sheboygan in crisis, the city grinds to a halt./
> >>
> >>/Bill Wangemann, who has been city historian since 1986, has worked for
> >>the city for 40 years, 28 as a policeman./
> >>
> >>
> >>http://www.wisinfo.com/sheboyganpress/news/history/local_10187070.shtml
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
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