Spanish Flu Outbreak 1918-- Part 5: Struck at Camp Grant First in the Area

The first cases to hit the northern Illinois area were identified at Camp Grant  in Rockford.  Some newspapers speculated that Boone County actually had cases of Spanish flu as early as February 1918, but local doctors misdiagnosed then as secondary effects of the scarlet fever.

By October of 1918, though, the deadly virus was everywhere.  Due to the close proximity of soldier living quarters at Camp Grant in Rockford, hundreds were admitted every day to the military hospital there.  There was a record 768 hospitalizations in one day.

There were so many deaths that officers decided not to broadcast the total number to avoid a general public panic.  Military vehicles were used as ambulances for the camp and for Winnebago and surrounding counties, including Boone.

Here in Belvidere, schools, churches and theaters were closed before the sate banned attendance at any public gatherings effective October 18, 1918.  Once the state ban took effect, funerals, weddings, lodge meetings, government meetings/councils and hospital visits were not allowed.

The state also mandated masks for anyone in contact with the public outside of their own families.

--DaCoot

Spanish Flu Outbreak 1918-- Part 4: A Major Fuel Shortage As Well That Year

In January 1918, the federal government ordered all businesses closed for five days due to a national fuel (coal) shortage.  In the local area (Belvidere, Illinois) the National Sewing Machine, The Belvidere  Screw and Machine Company, The Gossard Corset Company and Parsons Casket Company were shut down but food manufacturing companies like the Borden Plant and Wait Creamery were allowed to stay open. 

In addition, the railroad ran on reduced hours and any businesses that needed fuel to run were ordered to close on Mondays for nine weeks.  Schools which had enough surplus fuel to heat classrooms could stay open as could businesses which did not rely on fuel.

This caused a huge debate on whether to close the schools to use their fuel for businesses and residences.

So, the year 1918 was already off to a bad start and the country was still in the midst of World War I as American casualties increased dramatically.  So, before the virus hit, there already had been a major scarlet fever outbreak and the coal shortage.

--Cooter

The Spanish Flu Outbreak of 1918-- Part 3: A Massive Scarlet Fever Epidemic Preceded the Flu

In Boone and Winnebago counties in northern Illinois, hospitals had no neds for the stricken because of the fast rising demand so victims ended up roaming the streets seeking help and shelter.

The virus was not identified at first because these counties were recovering from a massive outbreak of scarlet fever in 1917.

Many children died from this contagious fever and a ban was put on school gatherings, interschool athletic contests and school activities.  The primary scarlet fever cases struck from January to April of 11917, but cases were still being reported as late as December of that year.  Local schools were closed on and off at varying times throughout the year as cases flared up.

--Cooter