Spanish Influenza, Oct. 11, 1918

Sheridan Media reporter Pat Blair looks back in time, over 100 years ago, to the impact of Spanish influenza as reported in the pages of the Sheridan Enterprise in 1918.

Dr. Anna G. Hurd, county health officer, announced today, Oct. 11, that public schools, theaters, pool halls, churches and all places of public gatherings will not be permitted to open until one week after the last case of Spanish influenza is reported in Sheridan. Seventeen new cases were reported to Dr. Hurd last night, making the total cases reported in Sheridan so far in excess of 125.

Captain C. Y. Beard of the medical corps of the governor’s staff, who is also secretary of the state board of health, was in Sheridan today investigating the epidemic here and examining the physical records of the men subject to the draft. He said the reporting of these cases is a war-time measure.