We’ll call this installment Part 4B because this research document is just too good to pass up.
In November 1918, Dr. John Dill Robertson, the Health Commissioner for Chicago, published a “Preliminary Report on the Influenza Epidemic in Chicago” in the American Journal of Public Health.
In this article, he gave statistics about the disease in graphical form for the month before, October 1918, which would prove to be the worse month for the outbreak. Three of those graphs are posted here.
He also gave a chronology of the measures employed to control the epidemic. Some highlights were:
September 17 – Proclaimed influenza a reportable disease [first cases reported in the city]
September 21 – Issued warning to the public about the symptoms and self-quarantine at home
September 26 – Started inspection of schools and students
September 30 – Started daily disinfecting of public transportation cars
October 1 – Started quarantine of influenza patients in hospitals and homes
October 4 – Procured home nurses from Visiting Nurses Association
October 5 – Started warnings about public gatherings (churches, etc.)
October 11 – Procured more home nurses from other organizations
October 12 – Closed public dance halls; prohibited public funerals; added 150 full-time “health officers” to the city payroll; met with leaders of 40 civic organizations to assure cooperation
October 13 – Banned smoking on public transportation cars
October 15 – Closed theaters, skating rinks, night schools and lodge halls
October 17 – Ordered businesses to stagger starting and ending times; announce vaccination program
October 18 – Stopped all non-essential public gatherings
October 19-20 – Reviewed hospitals for available space; stopped all elective surgeries
October 21 – Recruited additional home nurses
October 22 – Received vaccinations and started program
October 23 – Met with laboratories to produce immune human serum
October 29-30 – Began lifting ban on public gatherings
November 4 – Lifted remaining bans on public gatherings
Part 5 – Every cloud has a silver lining