1918-10-05

“With five deaths in two days, including Dr. C. W. Graham, who expired early this morning after a short illness, 180 cases at the military hospital, and many unrecorded cases in private homes, the outbreak of Spanish influenza had assumed rather serious proportions in Hamilton today. Drastic measures are contemplated to fight the disease.

Hamilton Spectator.    October 05, 1918.

Less than a week after the first appearance of Spanish influenza had been confirmed, not only had the deadly virus spread across the city, but fatalities resulting from the outbreak had occurred.

There were three hospitals in operation in Hamilton in October, 1918 :

“In the military hospital, on King street east, 180 cases of the disease have been reported, with one death. In the armament school, there also are a large number of cases. Quarantine methods have been adopted in both these buildings, and hopes of counteracting the disease are being held by the officials of these places.

“Dr. Langrill, of the city hospital, stated that drastic measures would have to be taken in order to prevent the spread of the disease. The time to act is now, stated the doctor, before the malady gets its hold on the city. The only safeguard that citizens can take at the present is to avoid all public gatherings.

“In the city hospital at present there are only two cases, and one death, while in St. Joseph’s hospital, the number of cases has not been given out. In Hamilton, it is estimated that there  are over 400 cases, the majority of these being among the soldiers at the military hospital and the armament school.”¹

¹ “Spanish Influenza Epidemic is Serious : Physician and Four Others Died in Few Hours : Doctors and Health Board Will Confer Tonight”

Hamilton Spectator.    October 05, 1918.

An emergency meeting of the Hamilton Board of Health was called for the morning of October 5, 1918. The main item of discussion was what steps could be immediately taken to try to control the epidemic. Particularly, the board wanted to assess the advisability of closing school, and possibly even theaters, department stores and the prohibiting large public gatherings of any kind. Local doctors were strongly in favor of those items.

At the meeting, Dr. Roberts, the medical health officer of the city, informed members that he had been in consultation with the provincial health officer, Dr. McClenahan,  as regards the advisability of the closing orders :

“Dr. McClenahan said the first line of attack was to advise the public to avoid contact with persons who are affected. He said in epidemics he didn’t favor closing of schools, as a closer tab could be kept on school children.

“The provincial health officer advised against an order to close schools at the present time, and urged the board here to counsel the public against crowds and to keep away as much as possible from probable sources of infection.”¹

There was a distinct divergence of opinion between local doctors and the provincial health officer, whose opinion the Hamilton medical health officer shared.

Discussion at the emergency meeting featured an attempt by Hamilton Mayor Booker to bridge the divide:

 “Mayor Booker said if the medical health officer advised the closing of schools and theaters, he would vote for that measure, irrespective of the opinion of the provincial health officer.

“Controller Jutten didn’t favor that move, but the mayor had confidence in Drs. Roberts and McClenahan.

“The chairman announced that the board had been invited to attend the medical society meeting tonight, and the mayor modified his stand and offered a resolution that the board take whatever action the medical society and the medical officer advised.”¹

Sadly the article contained the following, a report whose content would be repeated again and again during the following weeks and months: 

“The first deaths recorded in Hamilton were:

                   FIRST DEATH

“The first death in Hamilton due to an attack of Spanish influenza occurred on Thursday, when Mrs. Harriet Warchopfsky, wife of Samuel Warchopfsky, succumbed to the disease at her home, 618 King street west.

“Last Saturday, Mrs. Warchopfsky caught a cold, but was not seriously ill until Wednesday afternoon, when it was necessary for her to go to bed. On Thursday afternoon, she breathed her last, although the family physician who had been attending her for several days, did all that was in his power to save her.

“Deceased was born in Hamilton 25 years ago and was a daughter of Pte. Morris and Mrs. Harris, 12 Hunt street. She had resided all her life, with the exception of a few years in the United States. Her husband, mother and son, Cyril, aged 5 years, of this city, and her father, who went overseas with the 86^th battalion, survive. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon from her mother’s residence to Anshe Sholom cemetery for internment.

                   DR. CLARENCE W. GRAHAM

          “Dr. Clarence W. Graham, 55, of Kensington avenue, one of Hamilton’s prominent practicing physicians and surgeons, died at the city hospital at 3 o’clock this morning after an illness of only one day. He had contracted the disease while attending to a patient.. Dr. Graham was born in Goderich, and had come to this city about seven years ago. He graduated from Toronto university in 1908, and went to New York, and since 1911 had practiced in Hamilton with marked success. Deceased was a member of the Masonic order at Stoney Creek. He was single and is survive by his parents, who reside in Goderich. A funeral service will be conducted at his home Sunday evening at 8:30. The remains will be sent to Goderich for internment.

                             OTHER DEATHS

“Dr. Pierce, of Brantford, who is well-known in Hamilton, died this morning as a result of the disease. Many cases are also reported in that city. Bert Miller, of Dundas, was also a victim of the disease, his death occurring after a few hours’ illness.

                             NURSE A VICTIM

          “Miss Marie Rose Bulham, aged 22 years, a nurse in St. Joseph’s hospital, who also contracted the disease from a patient, died after a week’s illness. She was a native of Mildmay, and the remains will be sent there for internment

                             CORP. A.A. DOBSON

          “Corp. Algernon Richard Dobson, whose home is in Hartford, Conn., died at the military hospital last night after several days’ illness. He was a member of the R.A.F. school. He was born in Hamilton, but had resided in the United States for several years. The funeral arrangements have not been completed.

1918-09-30gg

“The epidemic of Spanish influenza which broke out late last week at the R.A.F. armament school, West Hamilton, was being viewed with a degree of alarm by the military authorities this morning.”

Hamilton Spectator.  September 30, 1918

The armament school near the intersection of  Longwood Road and Aberdeen avenue had only been in operation since the summer. The Westinghouse company had made its factory available for the Royal Air Force, Canadian division, to use as a place where the mechanics of airplanes, repair and otherwise, could be taught to soldiers. The school contained space for a barracks where as many as 175 to 200 soldiers could be housed while stationed there.

On Monday, September 30, 1918, the Hamilton newspapers carried reports an alarming increase in the numbers at the armament school who had contracted what was called the ‘Spanish Influenza’ contagion:

 “That the situation might be regarded as serious was evident in the fact that the armament school was placed in quarantine at noon on Saturday, and the civilian assistants sent to their homes to remain until further notice. At that time 47 cases of the disease had developed, and by noon today the number had increased to 150. As the hospital at the school could accommodate only 20 patients, the remainder were sent to the East Hamilton military hospital.”¹

¹ “Many Soldiers Fall Victims to Influenza : Nearly 150 Cases At East End Military Hospital : Accommodation Now Taxed at Its Utmost : Armament School Place Under Quarantine”

Hamilton Spectator.    September 30, 1918.

The situation at the east Hamilton military hospital changed for the worse very quickly:

“At that institution, the situation was considered serious. Though the cases admitted thus far were said to be mild, alarm rose from the rapid manner in which the illness is spreading. Up to early this morning, there were 137 admissions at that place. Owing to the unprecedented influx of patients, accommodation for any additional cases was now very limited, and it may be necessary to enlarge the hospital by opening wards in the adjoining C.O.R. barracks. The step was being considered by the officials this morning. The staff had already been increased by additional medical officers, nurses and orderlies from other institutions. Practically all yesterday, ambulances were busy rushing medical and other supplies from the Brant military hospital to the city.”¹

While the medical community did not have a specific identification of what the influenza virus was, how it was spread, how patients contracted it, or how to treat it, the reporters writing about it, as did the general population, had even less knowledge.

The Man for the Spectator said:

“In accounting for the outbreak among the cadets in West Hamilton, it was believed the disease came with a draft of birdmen arriving in the city from the east.” ¹

The man from the Hamilton Herald had this theory:

 “It is said that the form of grip so prevalent now is called ‘Spanish’ because it broke out with great intensity last summer, when upwards of eight million of the population were affected. It is caused by a microbe that is found chiefly in the nasal and bronchial secretions, and is transmitted through coughing or sneezing, or in the use of table napkins, kitchen utensils etc.

“It manifests itself by headaches, dizziness and a temperature that rises to 103 and 104.

“It has been stated that oil of eucalyptus is a specific for this malady, and that by anointing the nostrils with it, it may be checked in its early stages.” ²

²“Spanish ‘Flu’ Has Made Its Appearance Here : Aviation School in West Hamilton Isolated Because of Outbreak : Many Sufferers : Dr. Roberts Advises All Who Have It to Go at Once to Their Beds”

Hamilton Herald.    September 30, 1918.

When the number of soldiers who had contracted the influenza vastly increased in just a few days, the military authorities reached out to officials with the Hamilton Board of Health:

“Dr. Roberts, medical health officer, was called into consultation by the school authorities. On his request, the school was isolated, so none of the cadets will be visiting the city for some days at least.

“The influenza has not been reported from any other institution, though it would not surprise the board of health authorities if it did make its appearance, particularly in homes where children are cared for.

“No alarm is felt by the Hamilton health authorities. Dr. Roberts characterizes it as a form of grip and ordinary influenza. Dr. Roberts believes that the whole epidemic here, as well as elsewhere, is attributable directly to unseasonable weather. He points out that pneumonia follows in cases of grip when those who are ill do not take proper care. He advises all who feel the influenza or grip to go to bed and take the best of care of themselves in order to ensure against complications of a serious nature.” ²

While Dr. Roberts tried to minimize the serious of the outbreak or the possibility that it might develop into an epidemic, many worried citizens took the situation more seriously :

“Druggists report that never before was the demand for remedies for colds and fevers so prevalent. Doctors report the same thing, and there are few local practitioners who have not been called to attend patients with influenza.”²

The hope that the quarantine of the armament school, and the remedies suggested in the press, would halt the rapid and deadly outbreak of Spanish Influenza would soon be gone.