The Leeton Family Historical Society delves into the history of the 1919 pandemic in Leeton shire

Influenza is a contagious viral infection that effects our breathing passages with the notable characteristic of causing a fever.

It can be viewed as a more severe form of the common cold, which is also caused by a virus.

The virus and the disease have almost certainly been around for millennia and there are references to epidemics dating back six or seven hundred years, when it was first linked to cold and windy weather, but it was not until 1932 that the virus was isolated in a laboratory and correctly identified as the influenza virus.

Experts suggest that the first recorded pandemic occurred in 1580 - starting in Asia and then spreading throughout the known world.

Epidemics and pandemics were brought about by the viruses' ability to mutate and develop resistance to vaccines and to the body's normal immune systems.

The first modern pandemic occurred in 1889, starting in Russia, and was said to have affected 40 per cent of the world's population.

The most severe pandemic started in 1918 and was known as the Spanish flu.

It is claimed that this pandemic effected one third of the world's population and killed some fifty million people, far more than the sixteen million deaths attributed to WW1.

Further pandemics occurred in more contemporary times - the Asian flu in 1957, the Hong Kong flu in 1968 and the swine flu in 2009 - with the latter event claiming some two hundred thousand lives.

The Spanish flu pandemic started in Europe, in the final months of the Great War, and reached Australia in the early months of 1919, no doubt carried by the soldiers and other volunteers returning from Europe.

Australia, because of its isolation, was one of the last nations on earth to be affected.

The first cases in NSW took place from mid March 1919. Official records put the final death toll, in Australia, at just under twelve thousand, but others suggest the figure was in excess of 15 thousand deaths.

The pandemic struck NSW in two waves - the first in the period mid March to late May, and the second between June and July, 1919.

Leeton, in 1919, was still in its optimistic infancy.

Despite the optimism, the fear of the Spanish flu pandemic was real, due in part to the number of volunteers returning from the war In Europe.

On February 10, 1919, a public meeting was held opposite the Coastal Farmer's Store in Leeton. Convened by the Mayor (Ald. W. Betts), with the assistance of Dr Conroy and the President of the Leeton Progress Society, Mr J.A. Stewart, they were keen to adopt a number of precautionary measures to avoid the pandemic taking hold.

Following that meeting, the Leeton Pneumonic Influenza Emergency Committee was formed to cope with any outbreak that may occur in Leeton.

Around that time, rumours began to circulate that people in the Leeton area had been struck down by the dreaded pandemic.

One newspaper article dismissed these rumours as coming from "... panicky old women from both sexes ..." and urged the people responsible to cease spreading untrue accounts.

People though, appeared to be fearful, and it was noted in The Murrumbidgee Irrigator that a social night at the Stony Point Church was down in attendance due to the rumours of cases in Leeton.

A local business, Ruhan and Thomas Butchers, were quick to play on this fear and assure their customers that their premises were the cleanest and most up to date " ...up country". Whether this advertising strategy resulted in more sales is not known.

Any hope that the pandemic might not come to the area was shattered on March 20, 1919 when a death, due to the pneumonic influenza, occurred at Narrandera Private Hospital.

Mr George McCulloch, a well-known and highly respected resident of Darlington Point, had become ill and had travelled to Victoria in an attempt to recuperate.

He had returned home after apparently feeling a little better but after a few days became ill again.

In desperation, he was conveyed from Darlington Point to Narrandera by car for treatment, however, he succumbed to the disease a short time later.

The Narrandera Argus, which reported the death, was quick to assure the public that every possible precaution to prevent the spread of the disease had been taken, including the closure and isolation of the Private Hospital.

Further precautions were introduced including the compulsory wearing of face masks for people leaving railway carriages at Yanco and catching the bus to Leeton.

The Health Department also recommended the use of borax, salt and baking powder as a nasal and throat wash.

Despite these precautions, the dreaded disease finally made its way to Leeton.

On April 25, 1919 The Murrumbidgee Irrigator declared that they had been officially informed that there were five cases of Pneumonic Influenza in Leeton's new public hospital, which had temporarily been converted to an emergency hospital for the pandemic's victims.

The conversion of the new hospital into an emergency centre had been part of the planning by the Leeton Pneumonic Influenza Emergency Committee when it had formed sometime earlier.

Permission had been obtained from the Board of Health to use the hospital, as well as the Hanwood Hall at Mirool, to help prevent the spread of the disease.

The five patients were under the care of just two people, Matron Mulcaire and one nurse.

The committee appealed to the public for assistance, including anyone who could volunteer to help as nursing staff.

This appeal had some success with a Miss Reed, who was the niece of the town's esteemed dentist volunteering, as well as a Charlie Edwards who took on the role of wardsman.

The committee was also proactive by reminding the community to help stop the spread of the disease by not visiting the hospital.

In fact they issued a warning that anybody found on hospital property without a lawful reason, would be required to quarantine, by force if necessary, for four days.

Tragedy however, struck a day later.

On April 26, 1919 Edward "Murray" Grigg, aged 24, became the first person in Leeton to die from the Pneumonic Influenza Pandemic.

The Grigg family were one of the first settlers to take up land in Leeton and they resided at Farm 32 Leeton which later became known as "Rosedale" Leeton.

The family, unfortunately, had seen a lot of tragedy, including the death of three of their children in a three-week period during their first Christmas at Leeton.

They lost Jack, aged two, on December 24 1912, Doris aged five, on December 29, 1912 and Leonard aged 15 months on January 15, 1913.

The deaths were caused by an infantile epidemic which was prevalent in the district at the time.

While deaths of males the age of Murray could normally be attributed to becoming infected while in Europe at the end of the Great War, this, ironically, was not the case for Murray.

For a number of weeks, The Murrumbidgee Irrigator ran a list of "Our Heroes" which included the name of all local men who had volunteered for the war. Murray's name is among that list, as he too was prepared to do his bit and volunteer.

Murray however, failed to pass the necessary medical test, and much to his regret, was not permitted to enter upon training.

Where or how he caught the disease is unknown. Three days later on the 29 April 1919, the second and final death from the pandemic occurred in Leeton.

Mrs J Cleave of Yanco, daughter of Mr J Anderson of Leeton, died very suddenly and unexpectedly at the Emergency Hospital.

She had been recuperating well and was expected to be released and on the day of her death was feeling quite well.

Her death was a shock to the whole community. Looking back over a 100 years later, the early work of council, health, and the progress society, as well as the cooperation of the community in establishing an emergency committee was invaluable.

The formation of a proactive plan to deal with the pandemic was a crucial aspect in the disease not taking a strong foothold in Leeton and in preventing further deaths.

In September 1919, Leeton was officially and happily free of pneumonic influenza and a winding up order of the Leeton Emergency Influenza Hospital was made.

**** The information found in this article has come from a number of sources. The Leeton Family & Historical Society has taken every measure where possible to ensure accuracy and therefore cannot accept any responsibilities for inaccuracy or omissions.