The Spanish Flu Hits Delaware in 1918-- Part 1: "Shutting It All Down"

I was researching about Alicia Rhett who played India Wilkes in the movie "Gone With the Wind" in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog and found out her father, Edmund Moore Rhett, had died in 1918 in Wilmington, Delaware, because of the Spanish flu.

Pandemics are the big thing these days, so did a bit more research on its impact in Delaware over a hundred years ago.

From From the November 17, 2006, Flu Trackers.com  "The Great Pandemic  of 1918:  State By State."

In 1918, Delaware had the 4th smallest population with about 250,000 and was the second smallest state.  Yet, despite all that smallness, it reported thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths.  Exact numbers are not known and never will be, but, even so, the state took steps to contain the outbreak just as other states at the time did.

October 3, 1919, the Delaware State Board of Health met in an emergency session to stem the death toll and, essentially shut down the state.

"Whereas, a very serious epidemic of influenza is now raging within the  state of Delaware... to protect the entire  citizenship of Delaware...all schools, all theaters, all churches, all motion picture houses, all dance halls, all carnivals, fairs and bazaars, all billiard room and pool rooms, all bowling alleys in the entire state of Delaware shall be kept closed until further notice."

Sure Sounds Similar to Today.  --Cooter