The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-10-24
EPIDEMIC
IN VERMONT

The following article, taken from
Thompson's Vermont, 1912, will prove
exceedingly interesting reading as
showing that the present siege of in
fuenza is not entirely new to Vermont
even though there are none now living
whe can remember it's previous vista
ton.
"fhe year 1907 was noted for a
severe influenza, which prevailed, not
only in Vermont but throughout the
United States and Canada, and also
in Europe. In the summer of 1905
fevers were common, but the following
year, 1909, was remarkably healthy
This year, however, was noted for a
general blight on wheat.
"In the year 1910 the diseases Of
this state seemed to have assumed q
new character, taking a sthenic on in
fianmatory type and from this period
for several years, the greatest amount
OF sickness WIS in the winter instead
of summer as had previously been the
case. 1t was at about this period that
that short and fatal malady, the spot
ted fever first made its appearance in
Vermont. 1t did rot, however, excite
general alarm or prevail extensively
till the beginning of 1911. In January
Of this year it made its appearance in
Woodstock. From the 23rd of Janu-
ary to the 23rd of March the average
number Of new cases was about 30
weekly within a circuit of five miles
from the court house in that town.
The whole number of cases within the
above limits up to the first OF June
was computed to be about six hundred,
and the number of deaths between GO
and 70. During the same time this
disease appeared in the greater part
of the towns in the eastern part OF the
state from Massachusetts TO Canada,
and in many places the mortality was
greater than in Woodstock. Although
the disease was very considerably
abated during the summer it renewed
its ravages in the fall, and in the be-
ginning Of 1912 it was in many places
even more fatal than it had been the
preceding winter. This epidemic was
calculated to produce the utmost
alarm. No age, no sex, no condition
was exempted. II more commonly at
tackled and fell with greatest force
upon persons Of the most robust and
hardy conditions and it often proved
fatal to such in the course of few
hours from their first attack. 1t was
not uncommon for the patient to be a
corpse before a physician could be
brought to his assistance. The spot
ted fever was followed by the 'epi-
den1ic pneumonia or lung fever,
which proved to be the severest cpl
demic ever experienced in Vermont.
This disease resembled that which i'm
mediatey preceded it except in having
its chief location upon the lungs and
being longer in reaching its crisis. IT
commenced in this state among the
troops Of the United States Army sta
toned in Burlington in the autumn
of 1912 where it proved very mortal
carrying off ten or twelve in a day for
several weeks before it began 70
spread among the inhabitants, but by
the beginning Of the year 1913 il had
become general throughout the state
and IN the course of the winter II
swept of from 20 70 60 Of the most
respectable and useful inhabitants Of
almost every town. The whole num-
Der Of deaths in the state by this dis
ease during the winter was estimated
at more than 5000, or one death To
every 40 inhabitants" -Thompson's
Vermont, 1912.