Spanish Flu

Global Pandemics Through History

When the plagues hit, the disease spreads like wildfire throughout many countries, mainly through trade. Some of the more well-known plagues are the Justinian Plague, the Bubonic Plague/Black Death, The Third Plague Pandemic, and of course the Spanish Flu.

The Spanish Flu, also known as the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, was a variation of influenza that is often referred to as one of the deadliest plagues in history. There was no flu shot in the 1800’s.

During these plagues, millions of people died and attempts to cure the sick never worked. Eruptions of mass hysteria took hold of the world during these pandemics. The plagues destroyed families, business, resources, and entire civilizations. Tragedy struck and there was no help in sight.

This could be seen first hand during our most recent plague – the COVID virus. But before we jump into the world of pandemics and particularly the Spanish Flu, book a tour with Colonial Ghosts!

Where Did The Spanish Flu Start?

In the early 1900s, a plague festered in various parts of the world. Historians refer to this pandemic as the Spanish Flu. It is unknown exactly where the plague started, however, first signs of it appeared in parts of Spain (hence the nickname), Europe, America, and Asia before spreading to the rest of the world.

Records show that the 1918 Influenza Pandemic wiped out one-third of the world’s population (twenty million people). In America alone, a reported 675,000 people died from the disease by summer 1919. Entire families became ill and many children were left orphaned.

The disease spread so fast that many schools, churches, private homes, theaters, etc., shut down and became hospitals. Telephone services collapsed, garbage went uncollected, mail piled up, and funeral parlors ran out of caskets. The number of bodies quickly outnumbered the available resources. In many places, graves were dug to free the towns and cities of the rotting corpses that were piling up.

If there wasn’t any room in the city, the bodies were sent elsewhere in the U.S. (Virginia was one of the states). Libraries put a halt on lending books and public officials insisted people stay indoors. Quarantines were established and if people had to venture out of the house, they were advised to wear masks and avoid spitting and shaking hands. Sound familiar?

Spanish Flu During World War I

To make the global pandemic worse, World War I kept many of the doctors and nurses preoccupied. Soldiers fighting in the war took priority over the sick. When doctors and nurses started to take care of the sick, they contracted the disease. If they didn’t contract the disease, they often found themselves both unprepared and unable to provide assistance.

At first, the symptoms weren’t severe. Patients suffered from chills, fatigue, fever, and headaches. However, as the months went by, symptoms began to worsen. Victims would have fevers as high as 105 degrees, develop pneumonia, and suffer from severe muscle and joint pain. Their bodies turned blue and their lungs filled up with fluid, resulting in suffocation.

They would also get really bad coughs, foamy mouths, bleed from the ears, and vomit. Patients would die usually a day or two after realizing they were sick. In some cases, patients would die within hours.

Three Waves

The global pandemic consisted of three waves. The first wave started in the spring of 1918 when reports from Europe came in. Then, a reported 18 severe cases of influenza occurred at the Fort, Riley army base in Kansas. Soldiers transported to different bases expanded the disease.

There weren’t any serious symptoms at first. Reports stated that patients suffered from chills, fever, and fatigue, which would sometimes fester into pneumonia. However, patients usually recovered within several days. Response to these cases was mild compared to the second wave.

Spanish Flu or Spanish Influenza Supplement Guide — Image Credit: Harvard University

In July 1918, the disease spread to both the military and civilian populations. It started to spread to other countries such as Asia, Africa, South America and, back again, to North America. This was just the beginning of the nightmare.

The second wave struck lethally in the fall of 1918. In Boston, military-base patients started exhibiting more severe symptoms. The patient’s skin would turn blue and their lungs would fill up with fluid, resulting in suffocation.

The most deadly month was October when a reported 195,000 Americans died. Deaths occurred as far as California, North Dakota, Florida, and Texas and happened within hours or days of symptoms appearing. Theories formulated that the virus had mutated.

The third and last wave appeared in the spring of 1919. The Spanish Flu spread unevenly throughout America and in parts of Europe and eventually died out. However, losses totaled to nearly 675,000 Americans. Worldwide, a reported twenty million lives were lost. The plague left many children orphaned and destroyed many families.

Throughout Virginia and Williamsburg

The plague affected many states in the U.S. One of these states was Virginia. In early September, cases became more and more frequent in the state. Officials estimated that by October, there were at least 200,000 cases and that about 6,000 Virginians lost their lives to the disease. Doctors visited hundreds of patients a day, usually using outdated methods to cure them.

One doctor soaked the legs and feet of flu victims in scalding water. Next, he swaddled them in blankets and left them until they had sweating, red bodies. Other doctors recommended atropine capsules (belladonna) and whiskey. By the summer of 1919, the Spanish influenza started to disappear from the state. The overall death rate was unimaginable, even for modern standards.

As mentioned before, cities and towns transferred bodies throughout the country because coroners couldn’t contain the growing number of corpses. One of these cities was Williamsburg, Virginia. Before the plague hit, a town neighboring Williamsburg known as Penniman, began to expand. Construction on a new village began, resulting in many workers flocking to the city, and its surrounding areas. When the plague hit, however, plots to bury the dead became scarce.

photo shows a couple of fallen gravestones

Williamsburg began to feel the effects when the plague hit in 1918. Many bodies were transferred to Williamsburg, among other places (Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, etc.,). Neighboring cities relied on Bucktrout Cemetery as a temporary site to bury their dead.

On May 19, 1918, the first body was buried on this lot. After a while, records of the burials became a little erratic and some information on shipping is completely lost. This is possibly due to the fact that many bodies came in from all over the country.

Haunted Williamsburg

Fascinated by the haunted Virginia Capitol Building? There are plenty more spooky stories waiting for you! These historical spots are rich in eerie legends, ghost sightings, mysterious occurrences, and restless spirits.

Want to dive deeper? Check out our blog for more ghostly tales and book your next Colonial ghost tour today! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more spine-chilling content!

Sources:

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2027479,00.html
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/1/05-0979_article
https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/academics/departments/history-and-philosophy-of-medicine/archives/wwi/essays/medicine/influenza.html
http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/contagion/influenza.html
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1910s/p/spanishflu.htm
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/influenza-pandemic-in-virginia-the-1918-1919/
http://www.fold3.com/page/285838481_graves_of_williamsburg/stories/