THE FLUE SEASON IN OLDEN DAYS

Note from the Editor: As we suffer through one of the worst flue seasons in a number of years the following article puts it all into perspective, and helps us to count our blessings. I discovered this newspaper article after helping read tombstones in Hope Cemetery. I discovered a whole family that died at the same time. This struck my interest and I decided to see what I could find. The following article was the result.

"Ottawa Daily Republic," January 3, 1883, page 4, column 3.

As we prophecied last week, no cases of small-pox have appeared in the city. There has at no time been anything like a panic among our citizens; of course we all realized the full import of the threatened danger, and immediately took every possible precaution; and then each calmly pursued his wonted course of business.

The situation in the quarantine district is a sad one. There were ten original cases-in three families- and of these nine have died, and the survivor, Mrs. Limbocker, is in a critical condition. Of the Bissell family, which comprised the father and mother and five children, but two remain-the mother and eldest girl. Neither have as yet shown any symptoms of the disease. With the Bissells are Mr. Kelso and son; neither of them have been seized. Mrs. Kelso, it will be rememberd, was the second victim.

On the Atkinson farm, at Limbokers, there have been three deaths - Mr. Limboker, Neal, the oldest son, and Laura, a young lady about eighteen. Mr. Wm. Davis, a young man visiting at Limbokers, and Miss Ida Sherman, who was employed there, are at the house, but have not been attacked by the disease yet. Mr. Limboker's family comprised, originally, six persons-father and mother, three sons and a daughter.

Of course all the survivors have been vaccinated, and the virus is working vigorously with all of them. The physician is confident that, except Mrs. Limboker, no more deaths are to be apprehended.

The other parties in quarantine are Mr. Fisher and wife, Mr. Long, wife, and a sister of Mrs. Long, Mr. and Mrs. Smith Talbot, Mr. Wierman, wife and children, S. B. Bodley and wife, Mrs. Wm. Wheeler, Mrs. Tucker, Mrs. H. B. Williams, Mrs. Geo. Thompson, S. F. Beeler and members of G. B. Jenness' family. Of these Mrs. Tucker, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Thompson, , S. F. Beeler and Jenness have practically been released from quarantine, as they were exposed in the Bissell case, and the limit for the appearance of the disease having expired.

Mayor Wasson, Commissioner Robbons, and Robt. Atkinson have labored incessently, night and day, in intelligently directed efforts to preserve the safety of the people and to ameliorate the condition of the unhappy sufferers and afflicted ones. Everything that mortal man could do they have done, and it is to these gentlemen that the city owes its happy escape from the terrible contagion.

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