Flu cases drop in late 1918
Officials lift face mask ruling
By mid-November 1918, cases of Spanish influenza were dissipating in Eureka, with the Humboldt Times reporting that the city would soon return to its “normal and natural self.”
On Nov. 17, 1918, the newspaper stated there “had been but seven new cases (the day before) … and that another day had passed without the recording of a death due to the epidemic.”
That edition of the Humboldt Times also noted, “Yesterday, three more cases were discharged from the Red Cross Emergency Hospital and only one case was received. This leaves only 18 cases in the hospital.”
City and health officials said the Eureka hospital would close for good by Nov. 23, 1918.
The Nov. 17, 1918, the Humboldt Times went on to editorialize that, “There now seems no reason why all business and social pleasures should not be resumed some time during the coming week.” Many stores, barbershops, cigar stands and banks had already opened, the paper said.
Three days later, the Humboldt Times reported that unless further Spanish flu cases developed in Eureka, churches, lodges, clubs, theaters, saloons, ice cream parlors and all other places of business would open on Nov. 23, 1918. Health and city officials said it was “advisable,” however, to keep schools closed for an indefinite period of time, though the final decision to open or not would be left to the local Board of Education.
In a joint statement on Nov. 20, 1918, city physician Dr. Lawrence Wing and Eureka Mayor George Cousins said schools reopening would “not yet be a safe plan.”
The statement read: “While the epidemic has apparently run its course, new cases may be expected to be reported during another month, though this, of course, in such small proportion as to make the danger of another epidemic infinitesimally small. Nevertheless, it is the belief of … officials that to open the schools now would be taking an unnecessary risk for a return of the malady as it would be next to impossible to enforce mask laws among the children when brought together.”
Schools in Eureka did end up opening 12 days later, and health officials lifted the face mask ordinance for everyone on Nov. 27, 1918, with the Humboldt Times reporting in a headline that, “The flu is over.”
A day later, on Nov. 28, 1918, a small article in the newspaper reported that young Ethel Childs had died from the flu the day before. Her mother had died of Spanish influenza two months earlier.