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History of MGHS  |
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St.
Luke's handles the Pandemic Three years after St. Luke's Hospital opened, the United States and the world were faced with an unimaginable catastrophe. Between mid-1918 and mid-1919, it killed more than 600,000 in the U.S., more Americans than who died in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Ten thousand Minnesotans died, 1,000 in St. Paul alone. The silent killer struck mainly among healthy young adults, 21 to 29 years old, and took more than 30 million victims worldwide. Street corner evangelists predicted this to be the end of the world. The killer went by many names, but is remembered today as the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, or the Spanish Flu. Medicine of the time, which had successfully dealt with smallpox, diphtheria, and meningitis, was helpless — the virus was too small for even the best microscopes to view. Where did the virus come from? Recent genetic research suggests that it originated in swine, jumped to humans, then underwent several sudden and dramatic mutations to its structure. These mutations made the virus more virulent, and also made it harder for its unfortunate victim to fight off the infection. Pneumonia rapidly followed, and proved to be the death of many patients. The virus first appeared at Fort Riley, Kan., where 48 soldiers died in the spring of 1918. That summer and fall, more than one and a half million soldiers crossed the Atlantic Ocean to battle in WWI. The virus traveled with them, and rapidly spread among the American, French, English and German combatants. In some units, 80 percent of the soldiers died from the flu. When the soldiers returned to the U.S., so did the virus. Death rates in the military camps were staggering, and the virus quickly spread to the civilian population. The first city hit was Boston, and from there the disease followed the railroads westward. As the nation-wide death toll climbed, people sought protection through isolation, useless vaccines and quack medicines. The most commonly adopted measure was the wearing of gauze masks whenever in public. These were usually worn loosely, and offered no real protection from airborne viruses. The United States was a vibrant, young nation, flush with the successes of the Industrial Revolution, but had its confidence in the future shaken to the core by this baffling, unrelenting killer. Despite its isolation, the Upper Peninsula was eventually struck by influenza. Marquette was hit by four distinct waves of the flu, the first appearing on Oct. 17, 1918. The cases came from the Newberry area, but soon it developed in sailors, railroad workers, and logging camps in our region. The disease then spread throughout Marquette. A ban on all public assemblies, including schools, was instituted for 10 weeks. Some 528 cases and 30 deaths were reported, 10 of the deaths from non-residents who arrived ill. This was the first real test for St. Luke's, and despite the crush of patients, hospital facilities were adequate to meet all the city's needs. The second epidemic began just before New Year's Day, peaked in the second week of January, 1919, and ended in March. Schools were kept open, and two nurses were employed to closely watch the children for signs of the disease. Strict isolation of ill families was followed, and the city employed up to three quarantine officers to enforce this. During the height of the outbreak, an ordinance was passed in Marquette which required the wearing of gauze masks by all persons entering places of amusement, churches, libraries and clubs. The numbers of people allowed in stores and on streetcars at one time was limited. This order remained in effect for four weeks. Some 741 cases were reported and resulted in 17 resident deaths. Soon after the second wave had subsided, Marquette hosted a U.P. basketball tournament which brought many people to town. A third epidemic quickly followed beginning March 17, 1919. In April, an ordinance closed theaters and regulated the number of people who could gather in stores, churches, clubs, pool rooms and streetcars. The outbreak subsided quickly, and the ordinance was in effect for only one week. Some 490 cases developed and 14 Marquette residents died from this appearance of influenza. There was no new outbreak in the fall and winter of 1919, but the flu returned in late January of 1920. This was the mildest of the four waves and 650 cases resulted in only 13 deaths. The influenza pandemic (world wide epidemic) ended because virtually everyone had been exposed and either developed resistance or died. Could it happen again? Armed Forces Institute of Pathology researcher Ann Reid gives this grim appraisal: "I can't see any reason why it wouldn't happen again."
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Patient
Rooms Direct Dialing - (906) 225-3(Room#). Room #'s: 233-245, 374-390, 501-527, & 601-827 |
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