The 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic-Drug, Gauze Famine
From: Oakland Tribune, 23 October 1918, Page 12, Column 4
DRUG, GAUZE FAMINE TO BE NEW MENACE
A drug and gauze famine, resulting from the Spanish influenza epidemic, menaces Oakland, the city council was informed today when the urgency of providing money for supplies for the new hospital was explained by health authorities. Dr. F. F. Jackson told the council that the wholesale druggists had been "cleaned out" on certain kinds of disinfectants for fighting influenza, and that gauze for "flu" masks was at a premium already.
There were 136 new cases of influenza up to shortly before noon today, making a total of 2192 cases reported. Of these 328 had been released up to midnight last night.
The total number of deaths in Oakland has been 66, yesterday's total being 57, making nine deaths added in the past 24 hours.
Commissioner Fred Morse of the department of public health and safety announced today that he would have the police department rigidly enforce the anti-expectorating ordinance and the state laws and city ordinances concerning driving automobiles and motorcycles with the mufflers open, complaints having been made that the unnecessary noises are proving a great trial to persons ill with influenza.
The streets were flushed with salt water last night by the Oakland fire department, using the high pressure salt water system, and this method of keeping the pavements clean will be continued for the coming week.
Orders from the health department that windows should be removed from street cars were being observed today, and large signs appeared notifying the traveling public that fron tnad rear door [sic] of cards must be kept open.
[etc.]
Deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported since yesterday include the following:
Herbert Fricke, 1711 Chestnut, 34 years.
Spiro Radovich, 2028 East Twenty-ninth street, 47 years.
Alfred Williams, 6416 San Pablo, 36 years.
Elia Brown, 1322 Everett street, 31 years.
Pierson Morehouse, 583 Spruce street, 40 years.
Erald Gamberoni, 1311 Peralta street, 13 years.
Lee Kai, 281 Eighth street, 27 years.
Charles Beals, 926 Center, 43 years.
John O'Shea, 866 Willow, 28 years.
Michael Hielan, 864 Thirty-first street, 39 years.
Bernard Volquardson, 2827 Myrtle street, 36 years.
Faraday Tabier, 5668 Oak Grove avenue, 37 years.
Charles Corby, 2936 Telegraph, 36 years.
Erald H. Burnett, 673 Thirty-fifth, 34 years.
Lillian M. Wallace, 574 Twenty-third street, 36 years.
Julien Mathieu, Merritt Hospital, 25 years.
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BERKELEY, Oct. 23- Decreases in the number of influenza cases both at the University of California and in the city of Berkeley were shown today in the reports of officials.
In Berkeley proper but 72 cases of the disease were reported for yesterday, as compared to double that number for the day preceeding. At the University of California the number of cases admitted were less than half of those discharged.
Berkeley's total of fatalities was brought to 20 today with the report of the death of Mrs. Mary Catherine Hansen, wife of Benjamin Hansen, Berkeley merchant, residing at 984 University avenue. Mrs. Hansen was 27 years old and leaves a week-old son, beings stricken with the disease following the birth of the baby.
Two new deaths were added to the university's total yesterday, those of Miss Ethel Taylor, instructor in textiles in the department of home economics, and Alexander Zaboldonoux, junior in the college of mechanics residing in San Francisco.
