There was a time when no vaccines or treatments for influenza were available. Have you ever heard of the great Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918? The World Book encyclopedia says: "One of the worst global epidemics of influenza occurred in 1918-1919. About 20 million people, including more than 500,000 Americans, died in the epidemic." If you speak to some elderly people they could tell you about the flu of 1918.

One U.S. health commissioner said, "The world had not faced such a pandemic disease since the Black Death of the 1300s." A news item of December 1918 proclaims, "The recent epidemic of influenza stands out as one of the most severe that has ever swept over America."

The March 19, 1919, issue of the Steinbach Post reports the following from one Canadian province alone: "Complete figures resulting from influenza and diseases following in its train up to the end of January, show that 3710 persons died in the province of Saskatchewan."

One observer comments: "Everyday life was sacrificed to preventative efforts. Schools were closed, churches were forbidden to have worship services, clubs could not meet and all entertainments were shut down...."

Nor were our own communities spared. Reverend Peter R. Dueck, bishop of the EMC (then Kleine Gemeinde) congregations, records the following in his diary on November 14, 1918: "Received notice from Winnipeg that it was against the law to conduct church services because of the communicable disease. And so we have decided it until the sickness is over and we again have permission to assemble."

He follows this up on November 15 to say that Jakob W. Reimer died of this disease after about a week of illness and only two days of heavy sickness. A proper funeral service could not be conducted for deceased Mr. Reimer. The brother of the deceased could only see his body through a window.

Mr. Peter Dueck adds in his diary; "It is a remarkable visitation of God and a memorable occasion. Whole families are afflicted at the same time so that they cannot take care of themselves." He goes on to state that they had no church service in Steinbach. He himself got the flu. All in their house were sick. "Nine children were in bed," he wrote. Others had to come to look after the stock.

Another diarist writes: "No church anywhere. House after house is full of the sick. We can already care for ourselves." A few days later he adds: "Today a significant day. Again two died." The entry for November 22 states that it is a bright, sunny day; "...that the sickness may subside...." The November 27, 1918, issue of the Steinbach Post reports five deaths due to the flu, others are still sick.

The sickness apparently peaked early in December on the East Reserve because church services resumed around December 8. One particular diary from which I quote seems silent about the epidemic after December 18. A letter in the Steinbach Post of December 25 states that, "...There is still some sickness to be reported although not in the village of Steinbach but at Blumenort and neighborhood, also at Kleefeld...."

It appears that the Spanish Flu hit the West Reserve (Morris, Man.) a bit later than in the East Reserve. Mr. Peter U. Brandt states: "Here in this community (Rosenhof-Rosenort) it started at the end of 1918. ...The first person in this area died in 1918. At the beginning of January 1919, the second took place and it continued from there. In January 1919, eight people died."

Mr. Brandt says that almost all people got the flu. Nearly all families were struck with the illness but not always everyone in them. The minister did not get it and he is said to have been on the road every day. "He went around to all the homes." In their community, says Mr. Brandt, the flu lasted for about a month. Four died in one family.

What was strange about this flu was how quickly people succumbed to it. One statement was, "When they got the flu at Abram D. Loewen's they were sick for only a few days before they died." In Stern, Alberta, the church was converted into a hospital to tend to the sick in a better way with less help.

"Flu vaccine has been around since the late 1930s, but only in the past few years have Canadians lined up in huge numbers for the autumn flu shot - 5.3 million last year..." (McLeans, Oct. 30, 2000).

In light of this, the TV ad Say Yes to the Flu Shot might be sound advice for us.