There is a saying that Solomon uses in the book of Ecclesiastes, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Many of us are experiencing this pandemic as something new, but in the grand scheme of this world, pandemics have come and gone throughout history. For example, the above picture is a Public Health Order for the City of Defiance during the Influenza Pandemic of 1918. It was provided to West Bend News by Louis Simonis. This pandemic was a tragic piece of history killing 25-50 million people around the world. The world of 1918 was in vast contrast to 2020. The development of public health nurses, health education, personal hygiene, and advancements in vaccines and epidemiology all came as a result of this destructive virus.
Since the image is somewhat difficult to read, the Orders For Public Guidance are listed below for your perusal.
Orders For Public Guidance
During the Influenza Epidemic
Issued by The Board of Health of the City of Defiance, December 12th, 1918
1. Public and parochial schools, Sunday schools, churches, theaters, moving picture shows and all places of amusement and entertainment are to remain closed.
2. Public and private dances, parties, entertainments and public gatherings of every nature are prohibited.
3. All funerals must be private and funeral services must not exceed 45 minutes.
4. When shopping in the stores, take only such adult person with you as are absolutely necessary. Leave the children at home. The morning hours are the best hours for the shopper. Avoid the afternoon rush. Do your buying quickly and do not stop to visit. Keep moving. No merchandise and wearing apparel is to be taken out on approval. Select your purchases carefully and keep them. Do your trading on any week day except on Saturday. Give Saturday to the country people for their trading.
5. The Public Library will remain open as usual. Children under 18 are not allowed to withdraw books. No story and reading hours permitted at the Library.
6. Clubs, no matter what their nature, will cease operations until notice through the press.
7. Children must be kept off the streets at all hours.
8. Where at all possible order all groceries, meats, etc. by telephone. All meals should be taken at home wherever possible.
9. Doors of all business houses must be kept open for ventilation.
10. Avoid crowds and congestions of people.
11. Lodges and fraternal organizations will limit their meetings to business meetings, and the officers only will be in attendance.
12. Pool rooms may remain open, but billiard, pool and card tables must be covered and no games of any kind are permitted. Proprietors will see to it that there is no loitering in their places nor at the entrances to them.
13. Loitering in or about a saloon strictly forbidden. Patrons are allowed five minutes to visit a bar room. No free lunch of any kid is to be served at the bar. All eating must be done int he restaurant of the room and at the tables only. No drinks are to be served with lunches. All drinking vessels used in saloons must be cleansed in clean running water.
14. Don’t spit on the sidewalk. There is a $5.00 fine against this offense and the police have orders to arrest offenders. You can look for the enforcement of this ordinance and you will be fined upon conviction.
15. The general rules for health and the care of influenza patients must be observed. It is necessary that each inhabitant of the city of Defiance must do his or her full share to help break the influenza. Everything depends on the wholehearted support our people will give this order of the Board of Health. If these instruction are ignored, more drastic measures will be put into effect.
16. These rules are subject to change at any time.
By Order of the Board of Health, J.D. Westrick, MD, Health Officer; W. Guy H. Kirtley, Mayor
Many of these directives should sound familiar since we have been living them for about 6 weeks now. Basic hygienic and distancing measures to stop the spread are still the best course of action — they worked in 1918 and they will work again in 2020.
The CDC advises people keep a 6 feet distance between people, limit any non-essential activities, eat health meals, and get sufficient exercise.
