“Its hand forced by the continued spread of
the dread influenza plague which has already claimed in Hamilton nearly half
the number of the city’s death rate in the whole war, and which now rages with
all the virulence of the first siege a month ago, the board of health today ordered
the re-imposition, beginning at 6 o’clock this evening, of the ban on public
assemblies, theaters, churches etc.”
Hamilton Spectator. November 29, 1918.
There had been suspicions
and not a few rumors about the worsening of the influenza epidemic as the month
of November, 1918 was coming to a close.
There had been little news
about the influenza matter from the
Hamilton Board of Health published in the local press. Maybe , it is was hoped,
the lack of updates meant that the dire situation was starting to get better.
However, when the afternoon
editions of the Herald, Times and Spectator hit the streets on November 29,
1918, people were shocked to learn what the course of action the board of
health had just decided upon.
It was announced that the
restrictions which had been imposed a few weeks before would be reintroduced,
and a few additional restrictions were added. The formal decree of the Hamilton
Board of Health on the matter follows :
““The first proclamation,
which goes into effect again, directs that:
(1) All schools and seminaries of learning, either
private or public; churches and Sunday schools; dance halls, billiard and pool
rooms; bowling alleys, theaters, music or concert halls; public halls or other
places of amusement; places for public gatherings or entertainment, shall be
closed.
(2) That all meetings or assemblies, either public
or private, are prohibited in the municipality.
(3) That all utensils in use in restaurants,
hotels, boarding and dwelling houses, shall be immersed after use in boiling
water for three minutes.
(4) That the use of a common towel or drinking
vessel is prohibited.
(5) That no more than four passengers shall occupy
any one elevator at any one time.
(6) That public funerals are prohibited.
“Additional to these
provisions the board of health this morning prescribed as follows:
(1) That all employees of stores and offices shall
be dismissed daily at 4 p.m.
(2) That Santa Claus demonstrations or attractions
of a similar nature are prohibited in stores.
(3) That crowding in stores is prohibited.
(4) That the standing of more than five passengers
in any street car in excess of the seating capacity of such car is prohibited.”1
1 “Board
of Health Ties Up Hamilton During Season Approaching to Christmas : All
Theaters Will Be Locked Up Tonight and Department Stores Close at 4 o’Clock in
the Afternoon : Transportation Problem Will Hit Manufacturers Hard – Only Five
Standing Passengers Allowed”
Hamilton Spectator. November 29, 1918.
There had been some
disagreement as to when the restrictions would begin :
“It was not till after long
deliberation that the board of health, in conference with the subcommittee
of the Hamilton Medical society, decided
to put the restrictions in force. The first meeting was held at five o’clock
yesterday afternoon when it was decided that the ban should come into effect at
noon today. The suddenness of the board’s action, coming completely unheralded
took the theater managers’ breaths away. A hurried conference was held, and it
was represented to the medical health officer that it would impossible to close
the theaters against patrons for the matinee today, as the restrictions could
not be advertised in time. Mayor Booker went so far as to assure the theater
men that he would see that the ban was not imposed until Saturday. Another
conference was then arranged for 9 o’clock this morning. Those present at the
first conference were : Norman Clark, chairman of the board of health; Mayor
Booker, Ald. Langs and Dr. James Roberts, representing the board of health, and
Dr.’s Morton, Glassco, Storms, and Langrill. The same committee met this
morning, with the exception of Dr. Langrill.
“At first there was
discussed as an alternative to the restrictions a strong educational campaign,
to be conducted through the medium of public meetings, theaters, the press and
the pulpit. But it was argued that the educational propaganda, if effective, would
only result in discouraging public gatherings and bring attendance at theaters
down to a minimum, merely accomplishing in a way what direct proclamation would
do. So this plan was abandoned and the ban was discussed as the only course to
take. It would inadequate without restrictions upon the infamous overcrowding
in the street cars and the daily congestion in the large stores, and the
provisions covering these were adopted.”1
It had been a consideration
that perhaps all the city’s factories should close but that idea was dismissed.
However, the board of health strongly urged the proprietors of Hamilton
factories to make some arrangements to help battle the epidemic, for example a change
in the timing of shifts, making workers to arrive earlier and leave earlier
would go a long way to ease congestion on the street cars.
Both the Hamilton Spectator
and the Herald carried editorials on November 29, 1918 in which Hamiltonians
were encouraged to not resist or even complain about the restrictions.
The Herald editorial read as
follows :
“There was widespread protest against the
precautionary measures introduced and enforced by the local authorities some
weeks ago to cope with the influenza epidemic. Partly, no doubt, because of
these protests, the precautionary measures were withdrawn. Soon afterwards
there was a recrudescence of the epidemic, and it is now more prevalent in
Hamilton than it has been at any former time. The newspapers have not said much
about, not to cause any unnecessary anxiety or to give excuse for anything like
panic. But it is undeniable that present conditions are serious – more serious
than they have been since the influenza made its first appearance here.
“Therefore the Herald is not
disposed to find fault with the board of health because, acting in harmony with
and partly on the advice of the Medical association, it has decided to restore
the precautionary measures which were imposed a couple of weeks ago, and even
to resort to more drastic measures. It is to be hoped that citizens generally
will accept with patience the restrictions which have been imposed upon them.
“From 6 o’clock this
evening, until further notice, public assemblages are prohibited. (This
includes church services, so that the thanksgiving services arranged for next
Sunday must be postponed). All places of amusement must remain closed. Stores
and offices must close at 4 p.m., but storekeepers will be allowed to remain
after that hour at their places of business to serve customers with
necessities. On street cars not more than five passengers will be permitted to
stand.
“Those of us who may be
inclined to murmur against these restrictions should consider that the epidemic
was dying out during the first period of restriction and broke out again
immediately after the restrictions were removed. Let us consider that there are
people dying here everyday who might and probably would have lived but for the
removal of the former restrictions in compliance with popular demand.”2
2 “The
Ban On Again”
Hamilton Herald. November 29, 1918.
The Spectator editorial
struck many of the same themes :
“The board of health has suddenly decided upon
heroic measures to stamp out the influenza epidemic. Theaters, schools and
churches are to be closed forthwith, and the traffic on street cars is to be
more strictly regulated, while stores and offices of the city are to be closed
at 4 o’clock. The inconvenience and loss thus caused will be cheerfully borne
with by the public, if the deadly malady can be banished from our midst
thereby. The recrudescence after the recent peace celebrations proved beyond
doubt the danger of public assembly. The highly infectious nature of the
disease is the one certain thing we know about it, and the wisdom of curbing
its ravages and preventing its further spread is beyond dispute.
“Whether all the proposed
steps are the best discoverable to meet the crisis is, however, open to
discussion. The provision forbidding more than five persons to stand in a
street car, for instance, will mean on certain routes, at the busiest hours of
traffic, that many will be left waiting upon the curb for longer or shorter
periods in weather, at this advanced season of the year, which is anything
conducive to the maintenance of good health. It is a question whether standing
around on the street or hanging to a strap within the shelter of the car is the
more to be preferred hygienically. At the busiest hours of the day, a more
frequent service should be arranged to meet the new conditions
“It is to be presumed that
the experts have made this decision in the light of greater experience and
fuller knowledge than the average man in the street can possess, and the board
can rely upon the fullest co-operation of the public in every reasonable endeavor
to eradicate this dread disease from the city.”3
3 “Influenza
Regulations”
Hamilton Spectator. November 29, 1918
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