Final Project

The Diary of a Spanish Influenza Nurse

October 8^th, 1918,

            Today was yet another exhausting day. I have never worked so intensely and for such long hours as I have in the past weeks. I never have enough time to write in my diary. Today I went to so many houses. The sick cannot even get to the hospital. Truthfully, even if they could I am not sure we would have any space for them. I was called to go to the home of a young woman who was reported sick.

Whenever I walk around in my nurse uniform I am bombarded by people desperate for help. They or their loved ones are sick with influenza. I try to do what I can for them. Unfortunately, there is little I can do other than direct them to a hospital that might have a few empty beds. I try to write down their name and addresses so hopefully someone can visit them. This happens to all the nurses visiting families at home. 

When I arrived at my destination, I was shocked by what I found. Not only was the young woman sick with influenza, but also her three children, including her ten-month-old baby. Her husband was god knows where. The woman said he had gone out to look for a doctor. Personally, I believe he most likely has influenza as well and is probably wandering the streets delirious with fever. Even if he does not have influenza I would not be surprised if he was still looking for a doctor. (With the war going on in Europe the majority of our doctors and nurses are overseas, treating wounded soldiers. This leaves the few of us who remain here to tend to the increasing number of people sick with influenza).

Inside their small apartment there was not much I could do. There is never much we can do. When I arrived the mother and her two kids were lying in bed and the baby was starving. I did what I could, which was not much. Since the young woman was too sick to do any household chores, I did them. I tried to clean their apartment the best I could and washed their bed linens. Then I cooked some broth for the mother and her kids to eat. I picked up the baby to feed it. I made sure to open all the windows and remind the mother to do so as well. But with the winter coming soon I am not sure for how much longer this is possible. I also gave the mother and her kids some Bayer Aspirin but with so many sick there is never enough to give out. We try to give patients 30 grams. Unfortunately, sometimes we do not have enough to give everyone the correct dosage.

I cared for the mother and her children the best I could, but I had to get back to the hospital. These trips always take so much more time than originally planned. When I leave to make my rounds, I plan to attend to 15 sick, but I encounter dozens more.  I hurry back to the hospital exhausted from making my rounds.

Since there are not enough nurses left in Chicago the city has decided to develop a short-term nursing course. These courses only last six months and would allow us to put more caregivers on the line. While we desperately need more help, many of the nurses in Chicago are concerned about these courses. To begin with, these new nurses will not be up to the usual standard. In addition, we nurses have fought hard to get a good pay and the professional status that we deserve. And now anyone who takes a six-month long course will get the same recognition? I should hope not. Unfortunately, we desperately need more nurses. There is no way we can keep going on as we have for much longer.

Once I got back to the hospital I changed my clothing. I was covered in mud and dust from walking around the city for hours. I quickly had a bite to eat and some coffee to warm me up. Since we keep all the windows open for ventilation it is always so cold. With so many patients coming in every day we cannot waste time taking long breaks. First, I go to visit Anne, my dear friend. She works as a nurse as well but fell ill with the influenza yesterday. She was sleeping when I went to visit her. I adjusted her in bed so that she could be getting some direct sunlight. Then I started making my rounds through the hospital.

At the end of the day I am always exhausted. As soon as I finish eating I go to bed. I am asleep before my head hits my pillow.

October 14^th, 1918

            I suppose the situation must be dire indeed. I told my supervisor about the women I went to visit only to find her two children and baby sick as well. Then, on October 11^th the Red Cross published a story about my visit. The article was meant to pull at the heartstrings of the reader. They need more space to tend to the sick. Many places such as schools and The University of Chicago Settlement House have volunteered their spaces to be converted into hospitals. Stories like these also help us get more volunteers. While what they can do medically is extremely limited they can try to comfort the sick as they are dying.

I am writing during my lunch break. I will have to return to work soon. The situation in the hospital is worsening by the day. We have to turn away more people than we are able to admit into the hospital. We just never have enough beds for everyone.

I am back at home now after another exhausting day. Another nurse has fallen ill. All of us are worried we might be next. Unfortunately, there is little we can do. We are needed to tend to the sick. Such constant close contact will all the sick means we are almost guaranteed to get influenza at some point. This afternoon I had to do the most dreaded job we have. To arrange the removal of the dead. Since the sick are dying at such high numbers there are not enough coffins for them. Often mass graves are dug, and the dead are buried there. I am too tired to write anymore, and I have to be up early tomorrow to make my rounds. I will try to write when I can.