Northwest History. Alaska. Epidemics & Contagious Diseases.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1935
• Subjects: flu; Point Barrow; Alaska; Wainwright; epidemic; Ernest P. Stowell; medical assistance; Dr. Henry W. Greist; Nome ;F. B. Gillespie; Juneau; Christmas; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Fairbanks; Pacific; Uoday; Barrow; Nome
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/90720

Flu Toll Soars At Point Barrow. FLU TOLL SOARS AT POINT BARROW POINT BARROW, Alaska, May 7. (/P)—Founteen deaths had been counted at Barrow and Wainwright Uoday as the toll of a severe epidemic of influenza. Others were expected to die. All but one of the victims were natives. Ernest P. Stowell, government schoolteacher at Wainwright, sent a messenger by last dog team to Barrow urgently requesting medical assistance and reporting 200 cases of influenza in his village and one death. Medicine and instructions were dispatched by the returning messenger by Dr. Henry W. Greist, medjcal missionary at Barrow.' An appeal for a doctor and nurse was wirelessed to the health commissioner at Nome. Plane Turns Back. A plane from Fairbanks, ordered by territorial officials at Juneau, bearing Dr. F. B. Gillespie, a nurse and medical supplies, had been turned back by the commissioner, it was reported here, upon receiving word from Dr. Greist that the Barrow situation was under control. The seriousness of the situation at Wainwright'had not been reported then. A government nurse had visited Wainwright about Christmas time, but because she has 500 miles of territory to cover, left before the outbreak of The thermometer hovered around two degrees below zero here.