Now this was a real flu
Among Other Things
By Paul Fugleberg
Last week's shutdown of the Arlee schools and canceling of ball games brought to mind a previous column describing the horrendous 1918-1919 Spanish Flu epidemic that hit the Flatheads and Mission valleys — and the rest of the world.
The epidemic killed countless hundreds of thousands worldwide. First indications of trouble locally came in early October 1918 when the Ronan Pioneer reported the State was preparing to fight the flu epidemic. Two weeks later the Flathead Courier of Polson reported that the flu was raging in Missoula.
As a preventive measure, the city council ordered closures of schools, churches, lodges and theaters. Business places had to close by 9 p.m. School kids could not loiter on the streets. A few weeks later even neighborly visits were discouraged.
Polson remained flu-free — for a while. A Polson doctor was ordered by the State Board of Health to go to Ralpelje where more than 300 cases of flu were reported.
The first two cases in Ronan were reported in the Oct. 18, 1918, Ronan Pioneer, which also announced that Dr. John Heidelman would establish his medical practice in Ronan. By the next week the Ronan schools were closed. However, rural schools were permitted to reopen. Students were urged to wash hands, face, mouth, throat and noses twice daily with an antiseptic solution, and to wear face masks.
Meanwhile in Polson, the Hospital Sisters converted the Matt resident, east of the hospital, into a treatment center for flu patients. The city council rented the Cottage Hotel (now the Uptown Apartments) for use as a "flu hospital."
The public closures in Polson were lifted by Nov. 21. Ronan lifted its ban on Nov. 23 but reimposed it Dec. 5.
The Polson area managed to escape a general outbreak until December. By Dec. 5, the closure order was back on as the flu struck hard. Compounding the problem was a doctor shortage — only one doctor was available in Polson and nurses were few.
A citizens committee was appointed Dec. 19 to help city authorities enforce emergency ordinances, work on quarantine rules, arrange for nursing services and provide supplies to quarantined families.
As the epidemic appeared to wane, the council issued a partial lifting on the closure orders, limiting public gatherings to 50 persons. Even so, there were no Christmas season church services, dances or parties. Schools remained closed.
In January the epidemic slowly abated. The Courier noted the flu-related death of Chief Moiese. Then came a final surge of the virus and schools were closed again and the partial ban on gatherings was renewed. By then Polson had three doctors on hand and all were kept busy.
Finally, with the departure of winter came the end of the epidemic. The promise of spring in 1919 must have seemed to valley residents what the rainbow meant to Noah and his family — the storm had passed.
And this was real winter
This week's touch of old-fashioned winter temperatures brought this photo of Main Street in Polson sometime during the 1940s. Drug store pictured is Eddie's Drug, which also served as the bus stop for the bus that ran between Missoula and Kalispell on a daily basis.
Can anybody fill in more information on this particular storm — dates, amount of snowfall, perhaps identify the person in the photo, noteworthy incidents connected with the storm? We'd like to hear from you, and will forward the information on to Gil Mangels of Miracle of America Museum who provided the photo below.