While watching a documentary about the Spanish flu that attacked the world in 1918, I recalled stories my father (Fred) told us regarding that period.
It was estimated that over 40 million people throughout the world succumbed to the dreadful scourge. Before the flu hit our country about 30,000 Canadians lost their lives in World War I and ironically, about the same number of Canadians later died of the flu. The documentary stated that these types of pandemics occur in cycles and that the world is well overdue for another one.
Canadian soldiers returned at the end of the war; some maimed and crippled, but all happy to be back home in a safe place. Many, however, later died of the flu.
Because ships from Europe landed in eastern Canada, that part of the country was hit first. But with train travel, the disease moved west. Deaths were numerous. In some instances (especially in Winnipeg) mass graves were required to keep up with the burials.
At that time Fred was a young homesteader. He and Maria had four young children: John, Gladys, Mike and a new baby, Dan. The news of the epidemic was frightening.
Because the homesteaders were relatively isolated, one would think that they would not have come in contact with the disease. But they did.
The Hrenuiks, Fred’s west neighbors were sick with the flu. In spite of the danger, Fred felt obliged to help. With food that his wife prepared tucked under his arm, he walked in snow through woods, across hills, ravines, and a spring and finally a steep climb to his neighbor’s home. Before he reached the house he stopped and tied a thick cloth over his mouth and nose. He knocked and opened the door just enough to push the food through. In a muffled voice he inquired about their health. He was aware of a strong garlic odor. He stacked firewood near the door and cared for the few animals. Then hurriedly, as if to escape a monster, retraced his steps to his home and family. A similar routine continued for several days. The precautions he exercised likely helped keep his family healthy.
There were relatively few deaths in the neighborhood. Many believed that wearing beads made with garlic cloves both prevented the illness from attacking and helped those who were already ill. Medicines and vaccines did not exist so homesteaders relied on their instincts. Garlic seemed like a good remedy.
The Spanish flu did not begin in Spain as is erroneously believed. But because the Spanish were the first to report it in a newspaper it was regarded as the ‘Spanish’ flu.
After the massive destruction, the flu mysteriously disappeared. Researchers believed it to be caused by bacteria. More recently, however, researchers, aware of the cyclic pandemics, wished to study the disease but no specimens were available. They were somewhat successful in acquiring some of the virus from frozen bodies in the Arctic. But it was difficult to reconstruct a complete virus from the inadequate samples.
Today (2005), the world is concerned about another type of flu; the avian flu. Has the cycle hit again? Although the virus has affected people who work with poultry, we wonder if it will mutate and become contagious among people. Researchers have found similarities between the two viruses but so far no vaccine has been successfully produced. The world’s population is anxious.
With a vaccine not yet available and the medication Tamaflu, that may be helpful, taken off the market, what can we do to protect ourselves?
We are advised that a sensible beginning would be to wash our hands often. With soap! But if there is credence in the homesteaders’ theories, perhaps, to be safe, one may wish to wear garlic beads!
Keep well. God Bless. Love Pearl
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