Month: May 2020

November 4th, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 22, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

World War I was almost over. The Allies were advancing on Germany.

November was election season. Although the 19th Amendment to the Consitution was not passed until 8/18/1920, in November 1917 a referendum to enfranchise women in New York passed by a substantial margin. This gave Women in NY the right to vote. As such considerable effort was given to get City women registered to vote.

At the University of Rochester, an employment-management class was cancelled and brought to a close due to the influenza pandemic. The class graduated 11 men and 26 women.

Tomorrow was election day, but it was reported that due to the influenza epidemic and the war effort there were no big campaign events or even many events. It was also the first time women could vote in NY, and their vote was seen as being able to decide the election for either candidate.

Locally the Republican party was pushing hard for the support of colored women and for the support of colored men.

It was felt the influenza epidemic was “spent” in Rochester although it was expected that there would be new cases over the course of the winter.

1918-11-4 Rochester cases Democrat_and_Chronicle_Mon__Nov_4__1918_

1918-11-4 Class cancelled at U of R Democrat_and_Chronicle_Mon__Nov_4__1918_

1918-11-3 State Revenue loss Democrat_and_Chronicle_Sun__Nov_3__1918_

1918-11-3 Closing orders rescinded Democrat_and_Chronicle_Sun__Nov_3__1918_

1918-11-4 meetingless campaign Democrat_and_Chronicle_Mon__Nov_4__1918_

1918-11-3 Rochester part 1Democrat_and_Chronicle_Sun__Nov_3__1918_

1918-11-4 Colored voters needed Democrat_and_Chronicle_Mon__Nov_4__1918_

We are all miracles

May 21, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

Olivia Kim posted today that the reason you have two hands is so that you can use your other hand to help someone else. That thought, among others, has been tumbling around in my head today. Somewhere today I read a bit about the fact that in reality, although we all try to be unique, WE ALL ARE. I mean at a basic level we all have a unique set of fingerprints, I mean really, it’s like we all have our own personal UPC symbols on us. Then I was thinking about the Watchmen comic book. There is a great line in there that we are all miracles. Which is true. If you just think about all of the dice that had to be rolled to end up with you. Not only did all of your parents, grandparents, great, great….etc. etc., all have to meet and copulate but if a slightly different sperm met that egg, you would not be really you. Of if they had sex the next morning instead of that night. Someone else would be here and it would not be you. The chances of the universe replicating the exact same chances that ended up making you…you, everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know are freaking miracles. Of course, that’s the problem with religion, it has us looking for miracles in all the wrong places. We are the miracles, we’re also made of stardust, but that’s a different essay. So back to Olivia Kim, so here you are a freaking miracle walking around. You could say God made you a freaking miracle, so WOW, given that and that you likely have two hands, instead of living through this pandemic binge-watching Tiger King, just think about what you could be doing with that other hand. The future starts right now, why not join me in making it a better one.

November 3rd, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 18, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

In Rochester, the closing orders for businesses would end on Tuesday, November 5th at 7. in the evening. It was noted that “Compliance with the precautionary measures involved, in most cases, considerable financial loss, but there were few complaints.”

In NY State it was noted that with the closing of sales of alcohol that the State has lost $4,775,854 which in 2020 equals $89,595,021.

In Rochester, there were 167 new cases and a total of 11,592 cases. There were 13 deaths from influenza. There were 4 from pneumonia. The youngest were: 8-month old Aegust Mattei.

1918-11-3 National news emocrat_and_Chronicle_Sun__Nov_3__1918_

1918-11-3 Rochester Democrat_and_Chronicle_Sun__Nov_3__1918_

November 2nd, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 17, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

In Rochester, there were 239 new cases and a total of 11,425 cases. There were 27 deaths from influenza. There were 3 from pneumonia contributing to a total of 97 persons dying from pneumonia. The youngest were: 6-month old Harry R. Parent; and 1-year-olds Dominicio Bruno, Wallace Eader, and Alfred Marciane.

1918-11-2 canteen workers Democrat_and_Chronicle_Fri__Nov_1__1918_

1918-11-2 Rochester news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Sat__Nov_2__1918_

November 1st, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 16, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

Buffalo was reopening all places of businesses except for Schools.

In Rochester, there were 319 new cases and a total of 11,186 cases. There were 28 deaths from influenza. There were 2 from pneumonia contributing to a total of 97 persons dying from pneumonia. The youngest were: 7-month old Leonardo Sciabbarrase; and 1-year-old Lester Francis.

1918-11-1 federal news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Fri__Nov_1__1918_

1918-11-1 rohester Democrat_and_Chronicle_Fri__Nov_1__1918_

1918-11-1 olunteers Democrat_and_Chronicle_Fri__Nov_1__1918_

October 31st, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 15, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

A Health Commission in NY concluded that the best treatment was fresh air, good nursing, and rest. They concluded that the vaccines and serums tried to date had not proven their effectiveness.

In Rochester, there were 370new cases and a total of 10,8766 cases. There were 18 deaths from influenza, with a total of 348 deaths in the City. There were 2 deaths from lobar pneumonia, and 1 from bronchial pneumonia contributing to a total of 109 persons dying from pneumonia. There was 1 death from bronchial pneumonia. The youngest were: 8-month-old Amberto Dominica; 9-month-old Clarence Spranza; and 1-year-olds Colegero Sachele and Maria Interlicchihia.

1918-10-31 Federal news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Thu__Oct_31__1918_

1918-10-31 Rochester deaths Democrat_and_Chronicle_Thu__Oct_31__1918_

October 30th, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 14, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

On the National Front, a purported vaccine was being given to members of the US military.

Lillian Russell of the U.S. Marines and a noted stage actress and Singer was nominated to the rank of a Sergent becoming the highest-ranked Woman in the American Armed Forces.

In Geneva, the American Can Opening was adding a new shift and was hiring women on the day forces.

In Rochester, there were 602 new cases and a total of 10,519 cases. There were 22 deaths from influenza, with a total of 319 deaths in the City. There were 2 deaths from lobar pneumonia, and 3 from bronchial pneumonia contributing to a total of 95 persons dying from pneumonia. There was 1 death from bronchial pneumonia. The youngest were: 7-month old, Dominick Corrado, 8-month-old, Floro Ferlissi, and 9-month-old Taddeus Adamski, and 1-year-old Michael Obbi, and Ducia Morelli.

A new convalescent hospital was opened up at the New York State Armory where accommodations for more than one hundred were now available.

In general, the feeling at the hospitals was that the city was turning the corner on the disease. However, there was still much tragedy.

“One man had three children all carried out of the hospital dead. He was almost insane. Another many has lost his wife in the epidemic. Their little girl was ill in this hospital at the time, and he comes to see her with a self-possession that is remarkable. Although broken-hearted, he goes to the little girl’s bedside and tells her some pretty story to make her happy, that the news of her mother’s death may not be broken to her until she has recovered. He comes down from the children’s ward, leaving her as happy as he finds her. Among those passing out yesterday was a mother who already had lost her husband and youngest child in the epidemic. While she fell into her last sleep her little girl was playing in the cot next to her.”

The Commissioner of Public Safety, R. Andrew Hamilton, and Dr. Joseph Roby, acting health officer, indicated that they would not be lifting the orders to close businesses until “a continued improvement in the situation warranted the belief that the epidemic has “burned out” in this city.”

Military honors were given to the first of the NY Guard men who gave his life in the fight against influenza in the City.

1918-10-30 Deaths Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

1918-10-30 National news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

1918-10-30 Rochester cases Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

1918-10-30 Rosie the riverter Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

1918-10-30 Influenza hero is buried Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

1918-10-30 Sgt Lillian Russell Democrat_and_Chronicle_Wed__Oct_30__1918_

October 29th, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 13, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

The porch at Rochester General Hospital

In Chicago, the navy moved forward to fight fake news conspiracies, and could do so more readily because they were deemed to be “enemy-conceived yarn”

1918 was also an election year. The paper reported a list of nominations from the following political parties: Republican, Democratic, Socialist, Prohibition, and the Social Labor Party.

In Rochester, there were 373 new cases and a total of 10,076 cases. There were 28 deaths from influenza, with a total of 347 deaths in the City. There were 8 deaths from lobar pneumonia, contributing to a total of 98 persons dying from pneumonia. There was 1 death from bronchial pneumonia. The youngest were: 4-month-old Bogdan Givinski; 11- month-old, Saverio Lucchese; and 1-year-old Nicola Naeca, and Mafaldo Borelli, and Edna Repp.

A new emergency hospital was opened at the Gannett House.

Salonkeepers and Hotel Men were ordered to stay closed their barrooms.

A 47-year-old man, Fred Ernst, who was “despondent because of a severe attack of influenza” attempted suicide in his room in a house where he boarded by turning on the gas. The other boarders smelling the gas burst open the door and saved him.

Schoolboys were beginning to return from the various farms where they had been working.

Members of the Monroe County Home Defense were ordered to the Red Cross Headquarters to work as drivers and to provide other services.

A home at 141 South Fitzhugh Street was turned into a children’s emergency home for children whose families were temporarily unable to take care of them due to the illness. The home opened that day and there were already about a dozen children in the house. One story told involved two children 5 and 7 who nurses found when their parents were too ill to take care of them. The staid during the day with a policewoman who brought them to the home that evening.

1918-10-29 Federal news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

1918-10-29 Rochester news Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

1918-10-29 Rochester news part 2 Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

1918-10-29 Emergency Children's home Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

1918-10-29 new hospitla Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

1918-10-29 Red Cross drviers -Democrat_and_Chronicle_Tue__Oct_29__1918_

America 1918 and 2020

May 13, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

We have been here before and while millions died our country survived. It can happen again. Reading the daily newspapers from October of 1918. Our country was fighting World War I. Women were fighting for the right to vote. We also were fighting the influenza pandemic. In Rochester, young men and women were serving selfishly overseas. In Rochester, dozens of people were dying a day from the influenza epidemic. The Red Cross, which was largely a woman’s organization, was leading the fight to save lives. They were working with male allies and largely male organizations to do this.

This is an excerpt from the paper on 10/30/1918.

“One man had three children all carried out of the hospital dead. He was almost insane.

Another man has lost his wife in the epidemic. Their little girl was ill in this hospital at the time, and he comes to see her with a self-possession that is remarkable. Although broken-hearted, he goes to the little girl’s bedside and tells her some pretty story to make her happy, that the news of her mother’s death may not be broken to her until she has recovered. He comes down from the children’s ward, leaving her as happy as he finds her.

Among those passing out yesterday was a mother who already had lost her husband and youngest child in the epidemic. While she fell into her last sleep her little girl was playing in the cot next to her.”

So America has been here before. This is not a new tragedy. It is survivable. While too many individuals are dying, America can work its way through this, but this will only be if we work on this together. America was largely united in 1918. That does not mean that there was no politics. In fact, 1918 was a national election year. There were five major parties fielding candidates in NY. But there was a common purpose. We can have that again. We need that again. So let’s stop playing the political game. Let’s start focusing on what unites us, instead of what divides us. Let our politicians know that we demand better from them, no matter what their party. Let’s remember that we are Americans. Those families in 1918 should inspire us, and we should be able to make them proud.

October 28th, 1918 Rochester and the Influenza pandemic

May 11, 2020Uncategorizedddemarle Leave a comment

1918-10-28 Steamshovel Democrat_and_Chronicle_Mon__Oct_28__1918_

In New York City a steam shovel was used in one of NY’s cemeteries to dig a trench in which to later temporarily keep the bodies of influenza victims. At another cemetery there were 400 bodies waiting for laborers to bury them. Laborers were being drafted for that purpose.

In Rochester, there were 602 new cases and a total of 9,703 cases. There were 21 deaths from influenza, with a total of 319 deaths in the City. There were 4 deaths from lobar pneumonia, contributing to a total of 90 persons dying from pneumonia. There was 1 death from bronchial pneumonia. The youngest were: 2-month-old Assunta Lambrina; 8-month-old Harry Damaschke; and 1-year-old Tilly Lovinger, and 1-year-old, Maria Delconte.

A new home at 114 South Fitzhugh Street was being opened by the Red Cross as an emergency home for children from houses in which persons were ill with influenza.

So many seamen were ill at the Charlotte Coast Guard STation that they needed to bring in staff from Niagara and Oswego.