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Cindy Lange-Kubick: The tale of two pandemics, separated by a century

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Editor's Pick Alert

Cindy Lange-Kubick: The tale of two pandemics, separated by a century

From the Milestones in Nebraska's coronavirus fight series

1 of 8

1918 flu pandemic

Influenza and its complications sharply increased the death toll in Lincoln and Nebraska during the waning months of 1918. Masks were common apparel during the pandemic, as shown in this photo taken on the streets of Shelby.

CP, 4.25

Deirdre Cooper Owens

Fred Snowden Claus, of Lincoln, describes in the Dec. 8, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal how he spent an extended school vacation during the 1918 flu pandemic recovering from the illness by catching gophers, milking the cow and feeding the rabbits. The State Journal ran a series called "What I did on My Vacation: Letters from Young Journal Readers" amid school closures due to the flu.

A front-page article in the Dec. 5, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes the effect of the 1918 flu pandemic on Lincoln. Later in the story, officials recommended quarantining patients who came down with the disease.

An article in the Oct. 25, 1918, details how liquor seized in Fremont was turned over to local hospitals for use in combating the flu during the 1918 pandemic.

A story from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star explains the origins and symptoms of the flu, responsible for a global pandemic from 1918-1920. Some of the symptoms described included "aching, feverishness and sometimes a general feeling of weakness and depression." 

A feature from the Jan. 8, 1941, edition of the Lincoln Evening Journal explores how another outbreak of war in Europe could bring back the same kind of flu that decimated the world during the 1918 flu pandemic.

A front-page story from the Oct. 14, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes how Lincoln's city superintendent of health declared the flu's "backbone broken," during the 1918 pandemic.

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Cindy Lange-Kubick

The pandemic arrived in Lincoln during the season-changing days of late September.

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Cindy Lange-Kubick: Watching the world from a Lincoln window and a far-reaching computer screen

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People are also reading…

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Cindy Lange-Kubick: The stay at home Easter

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Front-page headlines in the Oct. 12, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal announce closures of theaters, pool halls, church and more because of the 1918 flu epidemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

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This clipping from the front page of the Dec. 17, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star describes how Nebraska grappled with the question of quarantining amid the 1918 flu pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

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Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts

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Cindy Lange-Kubick: Blessed be the mask makers among us

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A clipping from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star details the symptoms of the flu -- a disease responsible for a worldwide pandemic from 1918-1920.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

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A front-page story from the Dec. 19, 1993, edition of the Lincoln Journal-Star looked into the 1918 flu pandemic to mark its 75th anniversary. According to the article, Nebraska lost thousands to the deadly strain of influenza.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

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PhotosFiles: How Lincoln and Nebraska responded to the 1918 flu pandemic

1918 flu pandemic

Influenza and its complications sharply increased the death toll in Lincoln and Nebraska during the waning months of 1918. Masks were common apparel during the pandemic, as shown in this photo taken on the streets of Shelby.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Journal-Star, Dec. 19, 1993

A front-page story from the Dec. 19, 1993, edition of the Lincoln Journal-Star looked into the 1918 flu pandemic to mark its 75th anniversary. According to the article, Nebraska lost thousands to the deadly strain of influenza.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Oct. 12, 1918

Front-page headlines in the Oct. 12, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal announce closures of theaters, pool halls, church and more because of the 1918 flu epidemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Oct. 14, 1918

A front-page story from the Oct. 14, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes how Lincoln's city superintendent of health declared the flu's "backbone broken," during the 1918 pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Oct. 15, 1918

An advertisement in the Nebraska State Journal on Oct. 15, 1918, describes how the flu should be treated by taking laxatives, among other cures. "No occasion for panic," the ad assures readers amid the 1918 flu pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Oct. 24, 1918

A front page story in the Oct. 24, 1918 edition of the Nebraska State Journal explains how the worst of the 1918 flu pandemic had passed "as fast as the Retreat of Germans."

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Star, Oct. 25, 1918

A clipping from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star details the symptoms of the flu -- a disease responsible for a worldwide pandemic from 1918-1920.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Star, Oct. 25, 1918

A story from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star explains the origins and symptoms of the flu, responsible for a global pandemic from 1918-1920. Some of the symptoms described included "aching, feverishness and sometimes a general feeling of weakness and depression." 

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Star, Oct. 25, 1918

An article in the Oct. 25, 1918, details how liquor seized in Fremont was turned over to local hospitals for use in combating the flu during the 1918 pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Dec. 5, 1918

A front-page article in the Dec. 5, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes the effect of the 1918 flu pandemic on Lincoln. Later in the story, officials recommended quarantining patients who came down with the disease.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Nebraska State Journal, Dec. 8, 1918

13-year-old Beathel Simpson, of Raymond, writes in the Dec. 8, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal how she crocheted during an extended school vacation due to the 1918 flu pandemic. The State Journal ran a series called "What I did on My Vacation: Letters from Young Journal Readers" amid school closures due to the flu.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVE

Nebraska State Journal, Dec. 8, 1918

Fred Snowden Claus, of Lincoln, describes in the Dec. 8, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal how he spent an extended school vacation during the 1918 flu pandemic recovering from the illness by catching gophers, milking the cow and feeding the rabbits. The State Journal ran a series called "What I did on My Vacation: Letters from Young Journal Readers" amid school closures due to the flu.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Star, Dec. 17, 1918

This clipping from the front page of the Dec. 17, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star describes how Nebraska grappled with the question of quarantining amid the 1918 flu pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

Lincoln Evening Journal, Jan. 8, 1941

A feature from the Jan. 8, 1941, edition of the Lincoln Evening Journal explores how another outbreak of war in Europe could bring back the same kind of flu that decimated the world during the 1918 flu pandemic.

JOURNAL STAR ARCHIVES

+12 

Mark Rupp

LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR

Reach the writer at 402-473-7218 or clangekubick@journalstar.com.

On Twitter @TheRealCLK

In this Series

Milestones in Nebraska's coronavirus fight

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1918 flu pandemic

Influenza and its complications sharply increased the death toll in Lincoln and Nebraska during the waning months of 1918. Masks were common apparel during the pandemic, as shown in this photo taken on the streets of Shelby.

Front-page headlines in the Oct. 12, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal announce closures of theaters, pool halls, church and more because of the 1918 flu epidemic.

Deirdre Cooper Owens

This clipping from the front page of the Dec. 17, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star describes how Nebraska grappled with the question of quarantining amid the 1918 flu pandemic.

Fred Snowden Claus, of Lincoln, describes in the Dec. 8, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal how he spent an extended school vacation during the 1918 flu pandemic recovering from the illness by catching gophers, milking the cow and feeding the rabbits. The State Journal ran a series called "What I did on My Vacation: Letters from Young Journal Readers" amid school closures due to the flu.

A front-page article in the Dec. 5, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes the effect of the 1918 flu pandemic on Lincoln. Later in the story, officials recommended quarantining patients who came down with the disease.

An article in the Oct. 25, 1918, details how liquor seized in Fremont was turned over to local hospitals for use in combating the flu during the 1918 pandemic.

A clipping from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star details the symptoms of the flu -- a disease responsible for a worldwide pandemic from 1918-1920.

A story from the Oct. 25, 1918, edition of the Lincoln Star explains the origins and symptoms of the flu, responsible for a global pandemic from 1918-1920. Some of the symptoms described included "aching, feverishness and sometimes a general feeling of weakness and depression." 

A feature from the Jan. 8, 1941, edition of the Lincoln Evening Journal explores how another outbreak of war in Europe could bring back the same kind of flu that decimated the world during the 1918 flu pandemic.

A front-page story from the Dec. 19, 1993, edition of the Lincoln Journal-Star looked into the 1918 flu pandemic to mark its 75th anniversary. According to the article, Nebraska lost thousands to the deadly strain of influenza.

A front-page story from the Oct. 14, 1918, edition of the Nebraska State Journal describes how Lincoln's city superintendent of health declared the flu's "backbone broken," during the 1918 pandemic.

Mark Rupp

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