SHARING THE PAST
If you were a youngster in Boerne around 1918, you might have been chanting this little rhyme: “I had a little bird, its name was Enza.
I opened the window, and in-flu-enza.”
1918 was a brutal year for flu deaths around the world. The exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic was caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus, which is still with us today.
Calling it “Spanish” was a misnomer. The outbreak did not originate in Spain, but the reporting of it did. Spanish newspapers freely reported on the epidemic’s effects since the country was neutral in the Great War.
Other European countries involved in World War I censored news of the pandemic and of its impact.
The flu hit the US in three major waves:
• The First Wave began around March 1918, often linked to military camps in the U.S. before spreading to Europe. It was characterized as a relatively mild wave with lower mortality rates.
• The Second Wave, the deadliest wave, peaked between September and November 1918. The virus mutated, becoming significantly more virulent, causing rapid respiratory failure and high death rates.
• The Third Wave began in late 1918 and continued through spring 1919. While in some regions it was less intense than the fall wave, it still resulted in high mortality rates.
By the summer of 1919, infection rates had significantly declined.
The Boerne area did not escape the pandemic. The flu arrived in Texas by late September 1918 and spread rapidly through the Hill Country during the fall and winter.
The flu first appeared in the local newspapers in October 1918 with multiple mentions of influenza outbreaks affecting schools and residents.
Throughout the month, influenza was described as having “a firm grip on the country” with warnings from health authorities, and the death rate was reported to be “heavy.”
The flu was spread by soldiers returning from World War I, and rail travel. Boerne, being a railroad- connected town on the San Antonio-Fredericksburg route, was exposed early because rail travel was one of the major paths for the virus.
Kendall County recorded multiple influenza deaths in the fall and winter of 1918-19 and county health officials noted widespread illness. Local newspapers reported school closures, public gathering restrictions, cancellation of church services and community events.
While specific death counts are not available, Kendall County likely experienced dozens of deaths related to influenza and pneumonia — typical for counties of similar size at the time.
Boerne had a very small medical infrastructure in 1918, mainly individual physicians and no large hospitals. Home care was common. Doctors in the area reportedly worked extended hours and struggled to keep up with the number of cases.
Quarantining was not uncommon. There were no flu vaccines, or antivirals and no antibiotics for secondary infections. Malnutrition and poor hygiene existed in some areas due to war time conditions.
Bacterial pneumonia following the flu likely caused many deaths. Treatments were mostly supportive: isolation, ventilation and basic nursing care. The Boerne area received some support from San Antonio, but San Antonio was heavily hit due to soldiers sick at Fort Sam Houston.
Comparing the 1918 flu and the recent Covid-19 pandemic is instructive. It is estimated that about one-quarter of the US population was infected with the 1918 flu virus, causing about 675,000 deaths. Covid infected about 75% of the U.S. population causing just over one million deaths.
The mortality rate in the 1918 flu is estimated at 2-10%; mortality due to Covid-19 is estimated in the range of 1% In the 1918 flu, young adults were hardest hit; Covid-19 hit the elderly the hardest. Covid spread to more people, but the 1918 flu was much deadlier per case.
Sharing the Past is organized by the Kendall County Historical Commission, www.facebook.com/ KendallCountyHistoricalCommission.
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