In 2009 Phoenix, along with other cities around the world, was taking serious precautions against the spread of the deadly H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the Swine Flu. This, however, was not the first time that Arizonans had to deal with a deadly flu epidemic as cities throughout the State were hit hard by the Spanish Flu of 1918.
After World War I the deadly Spanish Flu epidemic killed millions of people around the world. Throughout Arizona public gatherings were not permitted and churches and schools were closed. In Phoenix, the Arizona State Fair was cancelled and adults were required to wear protective masks while out in public. In an effort to keep the virus from spreading, even handshaking was discouraged. At a time when some sources claim that as many as 100 million lives were taken by this illness around the globe, it is clear that citizens of the Valley were taking no chances.
Things were even worse in the northern parts of the State. Winslow had several hundred people infected within just a few hours of each other and Flagstaff was also hit hard. Dr. Martin Fronske was the only healthy doctor in Flagstaff and described the horrific events of the flu season. He claims that in Flagstaff there were only rumors of the awful illness until the football team from Winslow came to town for a game. During their stay a dance was held and one of the attendees was a player who had recently recovered from the flu. By the next day, dozens of young men around town had fallen ill. As the numbers of the ill grew the school was quarantined. For additional help, extra nurses were brought in from as far away as Los Angeles to care for the sick. The nurses then also fell ill and the Health Department had no choice but to bring in cots to house the infected at Emerson School. Dr. Fronske claims that around 100 people perished form the epidemic in Flagstaff alone.
By January of 1919 the virus had changed form and was now attacking livestock instead of humans. This is just another example of how problems of the World can reach even the vast deserts and mountains of Arizona.
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