First, the use of sanitarian techniques of cleaning and altering the physical environment through street cleaning, removal of refuse, provision of clean water, removal of waste through public sewer systems, removal of night soil and regulation of privies, and inspection of milk and other food products had been established as legitimate activities of the state through local health departments. Much of public health was rooted in the experiences and practices developed over the previous century in responding to often dramatic outbreaks of cholera, yellow fever, typhoid, and a host of other infectious diseases.īy the time the epidemic struck, a number of characteristics of the American response to disease had emerged. The epidemic struck at a critical time in the history of the nation and of public health and, to grasp the meaning of the epidemic, we must explore not only the tools and technologies that were available to practitioners at the time, but also the authority provided by local and state public health practitioners to apply these tools. This article reviews the state of public health before the influenza epidemic of 1918, seeking to place the reaction to the disease in the context of the evolution of public health in the previous two centuries.
In Chicago, Health Commissioner John Dill Robertson sought to educate the public about the new sanitary practices dictated by the recent discoveries of bacteriology: “Many people cough or sneeze in their hands then, without washing, shake hands with others, thus passing to their friends the germs they had in their noses and throats.” 2 Ordinances were passed to limit spitting. Work schedules were staggered to lessen crowding on public transportation.
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In many cities, new movie theaters and vaudeville halls were closed or dramatically altered their schedules. Throughout Chicago and the nation, state and local health departments promoted voluntary and compulsory activities to lessen the impact of the epidemic. particularly the children, the speedy recovery of all those on whom sickness has laid its hand and the early termination of this epidemic.” 1 The church was not alone in drastically altering its practices and routines during the epidemic of “Spanish flu” in the fall of 1918.
Finally, the church members were asked to “. Confirmations and other ceremonies were suspended. the church is to be thoroughly ventilated for ten to fifteen minutes while the people are out of the building” and was to be cleaned with disinfectants parishioners who coughed, sneezed, or were “showing indications of having contracted the disease” were asked to leave. The faithful may visit the Church during the day for private devotion,” the directive continued, “but there are to be no public devotions in the afternoons or evenings.” No masses were to last more than 45 minutes, long sermons were prohibited, and Sunday instruction was to take no more than five minutes. The order from the Archdiocese of Chicago was clear: “In compliance with the directions of the state and city Departments of Health,” it began, “.
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