“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.”1
1 Hamilton
Spectator. October 05, 1918.
It was the Spectator’s
article of October 5, 1918 that captured how quickly a public health situation
of concern very rapidly had developed into an extremely serious matter:
“The local doctors are very much alarmed over
the spread of the disease, and at a special meeting held last night, expressed
approval of closing all schools, movie shows and the stopping of public
meetings. Another meeting will be held in the city hospital tonight, when it is
expected that the doctors will issue orders as to the best steps to be taken by
citizens to combat the disease.
“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.
“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 86th 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.”2
2 “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.
Hamilton Medical Health
Officer Dr. Roberts, working members of the Hamilton Board of Health, quickly
scheduled meetings to discussion what steps might be taken to slow the progress
of the influenza epidemic : “In view
of a number of deaths from the scourge in the past 48 hours, and the fact that
the disease is becoming epidemic, according to unofficial reports made by
physicians, Dr. Roberts, medical health officer, after consulting with Dr. D.
A. McClenahan, provincial medical health officer for this district, decided to
call a special meeting of the board of health at noon today to consider what
steps should be taken to control the disease.”2
The meeting was called for
members of the board of health and representative Hamilton physicians from the
group known as the Hamilton Medical Society.
Generally speaking, there
was a difference in approach and emphasis between the members of the Hamilton
Board of Health including Medical Health Officer Roberts, and Hamilton physicians
as to how to proceed in dealing with the epidemic. One difference related to
the need, or lack thereof, of orders to close schools and other institutions to
slow the spread of the virulent scourge:
“A doctor this morning
received a bulletin from Dr. R. W. Blue, surgeon-general of the United States
public health service, giving information concerning the spread of this disease
in Europe and in U.S. military camps, together with a history of past epidemics
of influenza . The bulletin advises that all departments take steps to prevent
persons affected with influenza from coming in close contact with the general
public, and stated that crowded street cars, crowded offices and public
assemblies were conducive to the spread of the disease, which becomes more
serious in form as the cases increase.
“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.”2
The special meeting of the
Hamilton Board of Health, scheduled to start promptly at noon was attended by a
Spectator reporter who described it as follows:
“At a meeting of the board of health, attended by Mayor
Booker, Controller Jutten, Norman Clark, Dr. Roberts and Dr. McClenahan, Dr.
Roberts made a report on his conversation with the chief medical health officer
for the province.
“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.
“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 in the face of Dr. McCulloch’s opinion, 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.
“The chairman suggested that
the mayor be given full power to put into effect the recommendations of the
medical health officer and the society, but Controller Jutten objected to this
power, and it was finally decided that a special meeting of the board will be
held on Sunday or Monday, if the medical health officer wished it.”
A Hamilton Herald reporter
also attended the meeting and the summary of the facts was the same in both the
Herald and Spectator coverage, although the Herald account included the following
information gleaned from a conversation with the Medical Health Officer:
“The local health department
is appealing to every citizen to lend every possible assistance in stamping out
the disease. Though many be opposed to stringent regulations, the health
authorities desire that they pocket their objections for the time being for the
general good of the community.’
“ ‘The time to stamp out an
epidemic is as it starts, and not wait until we have a thousand cases,’ said
Dr. Roberts. ‘We must be very cautious and deliberate, but very firm. An order
in council should be passed at once making it necessary that all cases be
reported. Only is such is done will we be able to control the disease. We will
keep in direct touch will every case, and see that members of the families in
which the disease has taken hold do not go about and spread it further.’ ”3
3“Four
Deaths From ‘Flu’ Reported : Doctor, Nurse and Soldier in Hospital Succumbed,
and Disease is Said to Be Spreading Rapidly : Situation is Very Serious : Dr.
Roberts Thought Today of Closing the Churches, Schools and Theaters, But
Provincial M. O. H. Did Not Think Necessary”
Hamilton Herald. October 05, 1918.
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