The 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic-Hardship Among Poor

From: Oakland Tribune, 22 October 1918, Page 4, Column 5

HARDSHIP WROUGHT BY EPIDEMIC AMONG POOR

Twelve cases of sickness mostly presumed to be from influenza, were reported to County Social Agent, Mrs. F. G. Harrison during the forenoon today. Each of them applied to be sent to the county hospital. Mrs. Harrison said that it was impossible to secure ambulances to transport them and that there was no room at the hospital to provide for them.

The tubercular patients at the hospital were removed to the Arroyo sanitorium at Livermore in order to make room for some of the cases applying to the county.

Mrs. Harrison says the scourge is working fearful hardship on poor people who have the greatest difficulty in making their incomes meet their living expenses and who are utterly unable to pay the expenses of sickness.