Douglas Island news., 1919-09-05
SAD MISSION
 OF UNALGA
Details Of Trip of Revenue Cutter During Flu Epidemic in
 Western Alaska

while Che V. c lloNnuNa tNll0I lN- Ialga was cruising n tho vicinity Of sannak. on Ono lookout for any Of Ono salmon lcot in trouble coming through unimak pam wirolcts ! cali was received from unalaska ask ! iur for old. stating that many pcr- sons wcro down with influenza. and other eases appcr.ng Tho unnw under forced draft steamed Che 100 miles to tho stricken village. arriv- ing on Che gath of May
 Upon arrival thc navy collier sat- urn was found in harbor. but m- auod Go combat One disease 10 sailed shortly aftor for tho States. At thc tmo Che Unaira arrived at unalaa- ka there were SO coaos of Che du Landing parties were thrown ashore and tho worst eases attended to at once. Tho next day 900 cascs were reported. and Che next day Che whole village was down with mnuouza. including Che nurses and matrous of tho Jessie Leo orphanagc
 A detail consisting Of an officer and six men were sent to various parts of Che village and Go Che Jessie Leo home Practically every native n tho village was down and an Che whites. SO an officer and sIx mon were stationed ot Che orphnage. and thirty orphans ranging iu age from babies up to 15 years were gathered up by Che sailors and washed and scrubbed into n acm- blanco of humanity. The children woro covered with vcrmlu and dirt and were mthy beyond description. Tho sailors hoatod hot water and taking a kid by Che heels and head, after soapiug him good. dipped him Into tho tub and allowed him to soak we'll before starting on Che tremendous task Of "muck.ug out"
 Tho agent or Ono Alaska Commor- ciai Company was taken down with Che disease and kept packed In fec by Che ships doctor for two days Capt. Dodge was compelled Co feed 25O people for 10 days. and oxpond- cd about one thousand dollars in that umo for provisions. Tho unalga has four bis copper boilers which hold l20 gallons of soup. and thc cooks were kcpt busy making soup which was ukcu Co Ono sick Be- sides feeding and car.ug for tho sick tho houses had To be cleaned. ridden Of vermn and slop and other oXcrc- mcnt carried away and buried. At one umc Che officers and mon were going day and night for four days without sleep.
 Two carpenters were detailed Go makc collins and during the drat three days iorty-siz persons died ot Unalaska The boaiswain and Gen men were detailed to dig graves
 no easy task in One rocky. hoii frozen soil.
 I'm one house Che mother and one child were found dead with thc d.s- caso and three other children found half starved and covering Iu-fright They were taken to thc orphouagc and given over to thc "white Wings sound Tho houses wero an cleaned. scrubbed and disIufectcd by the men. After stamping out disoaso at Un- alaska Che Unalga steamed for Dutch Harbor. where every Inhab- Itant was found down and out with Che exception of Che wireless oper- ator. Thirty persons wore found dead at this place The wireless man taking 10. Che wireless was handled by Che ships instruments. A doctor and four men landed at Che place. giving it a thorough clean inr. An officer and four mon were ! also stationed at Che home of Che Alaska Commercial Company agent who was down with tho flu and Che place was converted into a base hos- plai Three other officers with de- . tachmcnts were sont To Che native ! village. whore conditions woro found | fn hr frIaarrIhrhfn
 After keeping up the fight until Juno 10th. Capt. Dodge wirelosed to Washington for additional holp Tho Marblchcad arrived on June l7. | and after O consultation between Du. Scott. Johnson and Capt Dodge. ii was decided to stcam cast Co Nusha- rak and other peninsula points. The ! |Morblchead transferred four nurses. three doctors and fyo hospital corp. men io Che Uwlga and several tons or supplies. after which Che guu- boat proceeded to Naknok and the l Unolga to Nushagak
 Capt Dodge and a crew Of men
 took rowboats and proceeded mp thC . KvIchak river to uIamua lake. puII- ! mg in an about 50o miles and re. .ucvinr numerous casos of distress They found Che native villages prac. . ucaily wiped out corpse1 lying
 about on Che ground. many totally
 dovourcd by Che dogs and other. partially dcyourod Skulls and bone. and fragments Of human flesh lay an over Che villages; and in thl
 houses tho corpsos were SO putrid
 chat it was necessary To roll chem