{"id":57201,"date":"2020-03-24T14:38:11","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T18:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=57201"},"modified":"2020-05-07T07:53:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-07T11:53:22","slug":"health-tips-from-our-ancestors-the-1918-flu-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/health-tips-from-our-ancestors-the-1918-flu-pandemic.html","title":{"rendered":"Health Tips from Our Ancestors: The 1918 Flu Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to learn health and safety tips that our ancestors used to cope with the 1918 Flu Pandemic. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.<\/em><\/p>\n

My mother used to tell me that when the flu was prevalent, her family, and her family before her, would get out of Philadelphia. That was good advice, given how virulent the outbreaks were \u2013 especially the 1918 Flu Pandemic that lasted three years and killed around 50 million people worldwide.<\/p>\n

My family was always adamant about other procedures, most under the classification of manners, such as using napkins, not chewing with your mouth open, not putting elbows on the table, and oh yes, washing your hands with a paper towel and throwing it away<\/em>. This last one may have had to do with the family working in the paper industry.<\/p>\n

Many people do not know that the modern version of the paper towel was invented by Arthur Hoyt Scott of Scott Paper Company in 1915. Here is his patent.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: 1915 patent for the modern paper towel by Arthur Hoyt Scott of Scott Paper Company. Credit: Google Patents.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The story I heard from my mother and grandmother was that a Philadelphia teacher was concerned about her students using their clothing to wipe their noses \u2013 and that led Scott to the manufacture of the modern version of the paper towel, which also led to disposable tissues.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hope Pioneer (Hope, North Dakota), 14 November 1918, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you think about it, the practice of not using handkerchiefs or shared cloth towels may have contributed in a positive way to getting past the 1918 Flu Pandemic, which some experts believe actually began in 1917 or perhaps even earlier.<\/p>\n

Curious as always, the current global coronavirus crisis led me to take a look in GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> to see what was going on in 1917 regarding hand washing. There are some good lessons in these reports and, not surprisingly, much of the old-time advice still applies today.<\/p>\n

Hand Washing Lawsuit<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m guessing from this lawsuit, filed by Mrs. Pearl Holstoff, that handwashing was considered important. As the first female barber in New Bedford, Massachusetts, she filed for support because her husband Jacob did not wash his hands. The motion was granted and this oversight cost him $2 a week in support plus expenses.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 15 February 1917, page 13<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Letter to the Paper<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can also see how this trend took off by reading this letter to the newspaper in Boston. Mrs. D. E. Hayner of Cambridge, Massachusetts, preferred paper towels for cooking and cleaning because they do \u201caway with the soiled, ugly looking roller towel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 12 March 1917, page 11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Health Tips for Students<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting that many of the health tips for students really haven\u2019t changed.<\/p>\n

In addition to a hearty breakfast, students had to wash their hands and face with soap at noon. If you\u2019re like me, I\u2019m wondering when the noontime cleansing routine stopped, and why wasn\u2019t it also done at night. Perhaps playing and sleeping out of doors were deemed more important.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, Ohio), 19 March 1917, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Military Rules<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among the military rules was to wash hands thoroughly before ALL meals. Bathing was only required two times a week, but preferable on a daily basis. Canteens were not to be shared, and there were cautions about ice. A stronger warning was issued about flies both for the soldiers and for the cooks.<\/p>\n

Anyone violating these rules could find a reduction in their month\u2019s pay.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hayti Herald (Hayti, Missouri), 19 April 1917, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today we shouldn\u2019t waste or hoard paper (including emptying the shelves of toilet paper), a lesson stressed over 100 years ago as well.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware), 26 September 1918, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Combating the Flu<\/strong><\/p>\n

In October of 1918, with the flu raging, the Surgeon General issued these safety tips.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Daily Register-Gazette (Rockford, Illinois), 1 October 1918, page 9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I wish everyone luck during this health crisis. Remember to wash your hands \u2013 and if it helps anyone, feel free to share this \u201cPlease touch my heart, but not my hands\u201d collage I made using Adobe Spark.<\/p>\n

\"Credit:<\/a><\/p>\n

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