Spanish Influenza and Fairfax In 1918

Ninety-one years ago this month, a worldwide flu pandemic was killing dozens of people in Vermont.

The virulent strain that came to be known as "Spanish influenza" killed an estimated 50 million to 100 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the United States. More than half the victims were ages 16 to 40. In less-developed countries, more than 5 percent of young adults were believed to have died.

According to John Barry's 2004 best-seller, "The Great Influenza," the epidemic believed to be "the deadliest plague in history" apparently originated in Kansas and began spreading to military bases that were marshalling troops during World War I.
One of the big early outbreaks was at Camp Devens in Massachusetts, where about 20 percent of the soldiers were reported sick in late September, three-fourths of them hospitalized.

The disease started showing up in Vermont that month, and by the first week in October, flu deaths were reported daily. Overall, Vermont had 437 flu deaths -- 184 in Barre alone, where granite workers were believed more vulnerable because the dust they inhaled compromised their lungs. Burlington lost 177 people.

I checked my records to see what might have happened here in Fairfax and found the following deaths. Looks like about 8 could have been the Spanish Influenza who died in October, November & December

INDIVIDUAL Deaths In 1918

Structured Date   Name of Individual   Event Detail 1

23 JAN 1918   Esther Ann KINSLEY
25 FEB 1918   Herbert David KENNISON   Cerebral hemmorage
05 MAR 1918   Emma DRINKWINE Pelkey   Recurrent carsinoma
08 APR 1918   Leilla KINSLEY McNally   Cancer
09 APR 1918   Male DRISCOLL   Stillborn, caused by a fall
10 APR 1918   Francis Felix MCGETTRICK   Pneumonia
01 MAY 1918   Dr. Samuel Hewes PHELPS   Chronic nephritis
09 MAY 1918   Cornelia UNKNOWN Gilbert   Nephritis
17 MAY 1918   Edward MAXFIELD   Valvular insufficiency of Heart
02 JUN 1918   Female DESMARAIS (Triplet)   Premature birth
02 JUN 1918   Female DESMARAIS (Triplet)   Premature birth
02 JUN 1918   Female DESMARAIS (Triplet)   Premature birth
10 JUN 1918   Patty Celestia CLARK    Cerebral tumor
13 JUN 1918   Abbie L. HULBERT Judd   Angina pectoris
15 JUN 1918   Elanor G. GOODHUE   Pneumonia
18 JUN 1918   Clara B. GIDDINGS    Cancer of the breast
18 JUN 1918   Hattie A. HIBBARD    Carcinoma of liver
25 JUN 1918   Lilah Retta DICKINSON Wilson   Cerebral Endartritis
27 JUN 1918   Sarah M. BRUSH Northrop   Organic heart disease
1918   Emma LEACH
02 JUL 1918   Benjamin Harrison KINSLEY
15 JUL 1918   Charles KING   Acute dilation of heart
31 JUL 1918   Julia M. NICHOLS Rood   Arterio sclerosis
29 AUG 1918   Douglas BUCK   Ether Nephritis,Strangul Hernia
28 SEP 1918   Adaline WELLS Parah   Myocarditis
10 OCT 1918   Dorris BENNETT   Bronchial pneumonia
14 OCT 1918   Eva Lottie WILSON Daniels   La Grippe, paralysis
15 OCT 1918   Sarah Maud CLARK Shepardson   Pneumonia
18 OCT 1918   Charlotte CARROLL Stevens   Cholera morbus
04 NOV 1918   Nellie (Ellen) DASHNO    Bronchitis
15 NOV 1918   Lucy Cora CROSS King   Acute nephritis
29 NOV 1918   Pvt. Roy Goodwin HOWARD   Pneumonia
02 DEC 1918   Sewell Clair SPAULDING   Pneumonia
06 DEC 1918   Robert Ernest KING   Bronchial pneumonia
17 DEC 1918   Harold Burbank ROBINSON   Stillborn, Premature