Just in case somebody needs a break from our exciting political season, don't forget the flu!
I was digging through some of my Great-Grandfather's papers and came across a letter from my great-aunt written on March 25, 1919.
At the time, her husband was a young doctor in the small farming town of Chambers, Nebraska. Today's population is 306, so it was probably higher then, but it is at the edge of the Nebraska Sandhills, where farming is marginal.
The letter...
From Mrs. J. W. Gill
Chambers Nebr.
3 cent stamp cancelled Mar 25, 1919
Dear Sis and Mother,
While I am waiting for Ward to come to supper I’ll write a few lines. I’ve been getting supper for Ward most any time from 6 o’clock to 12 the last 3 wks. Last night was the first full night’s rest that he has had in that time. The Flu is something terrible here. Last Sunday he drove 70 miles and waited on 40 patients but he has had no deaths so far from Flu. He had 2 this week who he was worried over but they are coming all right now. One of them is crazy. It leaves some people that way for a while but they get over it.
They sent one of our young men down to Seward to bury Sat. He died from Flu and Pneumonia. It was Dr. Cox’s case. He packs them in ice and then the next thing they are packed in dirt. He has lost 10 cases so far. The Gaskels called Ward out there the night before Frank died but it was too late to do anything. He leaves a wife and 2 babies. It is a sad case. She will have nothing to go on.
This tells us two things. At least 10 people died from the flu in a fairly small community. And there were at least two doctors in that small community.
There were some paragraphs of family stuff. Then my great-aunt turned to the new house the young couple was building:
We have some money in the bank to start on. It wouldn’t take long to pay for the house if Ward has many months like this one. He has over $600 on the books so far this month.
We have men working on our house. They have the hole about dug for the basement. The house will be 24 by 36 feet with the office right in the house. I will tell you more about it the next time I write. I get so tired since I had that Flu. So, Good night and write soon.
Yours, Bird
Times have changed. A doctor is building an 864 sq. ft. home, including his office. He GOES TO SEE 40 patients in a day, and his wife thinks $600 FOR THE MONTH is a lot to be making - having seen hundreds of patients.
I've also found letters from Fall, 1918 through the winter of 1919 where my Great-Grandfather (Postmaster in Seward, Nebraska, and a good Democrat) was begging the Army to release his brother early. My Great-Great-Uncle was back from World War I and was to be released in July, 1919. There was so much Flu around Seward that Grandpa couldn't find enough healthy men (and it was only men at that time) to deliver the mail. His pleas fell on deaf ears, however.
It is hard to imagine a pandemic so bad that you couldn't find people to deliver the mail, but that's what 1918-1919 were like. Ponder that while you consider which candidate is offering the best health care plan.