The Cedar Rapids Gazelle: Sun.

, May a, \m 311_

Memories of a Virus Similar To Swine flu

By Deborah K. Simon
Drake University Journalism Student
[Distributed by the lo*o Dolly Press Association)
DES MOINES — More than 6,000 lowans died during
the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic, which may have been
caused by a virus similar to the swine flu virus.
During the three-month epidemic, there were 93,590
cases of Spanish influenza and pneumonia and 6,116 deaths,
according to the 19th biennial report of the Iowa State
Board of Health.
The epidemic was recalled by an lowan during a recent
interview. Helen Parker, who was then 12, said, "My grand-
mother died. The thing I remember was that people were
dying so fast, the coffins were piled up in front of Harbach's
(funeral home in Des Moines), wooden boxes just stacked
up."
Army Camps Hit Hardest
A retired physician. Dr. Grace Doane of Des Moines,
said the influenza hit army camps such as Camp Dodge the
hardest. "Every day there were four or five or six funerals
for soldiers," said Doane.
"Many of the boys were from the South and they
weren't used to our cold winter. That was one of the coldest
winters we had in a long time," said Doane.
On Oct. 1, 1918, newspaper reports said the "dreaded"
Spanish influenza had struck Camp Dodge. Within a week
the number of influenza cases at the camp soared from 300
to more than 3,000.
Dr. Clement A. Sones of Des Moines, who'was in the ar-
©1976b/NEA Inr. c
my during the epidemic, said, "1 was at sea at the lime it
broke, but I remember hearing that they couldn't get
enough caskets to take care of their men."
'The Spanish flu was caused by a virus that no one had
any immunity to," said Sones.
As the epidemic reached its peak at Camp Dodge,
hundreds of people wrote suggesting home remedies that
ranged from rubbing lemon oil on the victim's left shoulder
to eating quantities of onions to drinking hot lemonade.
No Specific Cure
But doctors offered no specific cure for the influenza.
Dr. Guilford H. Sumner, then secretary of the slate
board of health, suggested preventive measures such as
spraying the nose and throat daily, gelling plenty of rest,
keeping windows wide open, eating regularly and slaying
away from people shaking their handkerchiefs.
The epidemic at Camp Dodge began to decline hut the
flu spread to other parts of the state. On the 16th, Sumner
said, "The type of influenza now sweeping the state is a
communicable and infectious disease resulting frpm blood
poisoning causing pneumonia unlike ordinary grippe." He
urged placing the state under a 30-day quarantine.
house to house."
There was a shortage of physicians because so many
were in World war 1. All types of doctors, including den-
tists, were asked to assist in the emergency.
Miiy Stoner Dicffenbach, now 76, was teaching school
at Bloomfleld during the epidemic. "They closed!'school for
a week and I went back home. My sister and parents had
tile flu. There wasn't any vaccine and they just had to get
over it," said Dieffenbaeh. , • .
"It seemed like Ihey ached and hurt all over. It was
something you hoped you'd get over, but'yojfi weren't right
sure of it," said Dicffenbach. "Anyhow thill's, how ihey
talked about it. •". '.
"If they could get over the flu without Retting pneu-
monia they were all right." said Dieffenbach, who still lives
in Bloomfield. '
On Oct. 28 the .statewide quarantine was lifted.
Influenza Continued ' ,
But the Influenza continued. During Nov. 1,629 died
and during Dec. 2,355 died, according to the 9ih Biennial
Report of the Iowa State Board of Heallh.
Lida Greene, librarian al Ihe Stale Historical Library,
said, "I recall that people were discouraged from going out.
In some places they wore masks. We had the cheesecloth
masks, homemade, of course.
"People were very frightened, which added to the dan-
ger of the disease," said Greene. "Some people died of
fright because they didn't think they were going lo get bet-
ter."
Gradually the flu disappeared, except for farms across
the state where farmers grew alarmed at :,the number of
hogs which had caught the disease and were '

"Zeke, I'm alraid your swine has 'human tlu'!"

Good Bugs Always Win

ByAlSwegle
GREELEY — Ralph Engelken, 49, has been turning
bugs into friends for some 19 years now, proving that good
bugs — as well as good guys — always win if given half a
chance.1
Engelken gave up on chemicals and sprays to control
weeds and insects some nine years after he started farming,
and since then he's relied on the good bugs to fight off the
bad ones in the true balance-of-nature tradition.
"With our modern ways of planting corn, we've" killed
so many of the beneficial bacteria in the soil that we've lost
our concept of what nature's balance will do for us," En-
gelken said.
Give Fertility
'The bugs give the soil its fertility, but the bugs can't
live under all the chemicals we put on."
Four lady bugs were perched on a nearby clump of al-
falfa while Engelken talked.
"I haven't had any problems with aphids and weevils in
my alfalfa field this year, because of them," Engelken said
pointing to the lady bugs. "My neighbors have, and some in
this county sprayed for alfalfa weevils last year."
Engelken believes his crops grown organically are of
higher quality and produce faster gains in his SOO head
feedlot. Tests have shown that his corn contains 12 percent
protein and his haylage 24 percent.
His concepts of farming are considered out-of-step with
fmrut News
produce for S80 and $90 an acre."
The St. Louis study showed that Engelken used only a
third of the energy other farmers used In producing a crop,
a key point.
Respectable Yields
Last year his corn yields on his rolling farm near Gree-
ley in Delaware county have ranged from 100 bushels an
acre on dry land to 155 bushels an acre. One 30 acre field
which has been in continuous corn for nine years produced
150 bushel an acre yield.
Despite dry weather in his area last year, Engelken pro-
duced three crops of alfalfa, each crop as vigorous as the •
other. He has averaged 12 tons of haylage per acre the past
five years, and has beaten that average by a considerable
margin some years.
The switchover some 19 years ago was tricky, Engelken
admitted last week. "You can't expect bugs to thrive where-
there's cement, and that's what .the ground seemed like aft- photo by Al Sxtflle
er all those years of chemical treatments," Engelken said.
Ralph Engelken with the composf bugs fhof help his crops
Manure Compost Pile
"Weeds grow because of an imbalance in fertility in the

Farm Wife Has Rescue Mission

today's reliance on pesticides to control those troublesome soil. We had every, kind of weed on this farm when we start-
weeds and insects. But Engelken expects farmers will be ed this program, but they were gone as wo became more
forced to give up that reliance in the future. experienced in organic farming.
'The key to fertile soil is the bugs, and they can't sur-
Energy Crunch vive with all the chemicals." lowed lo pile In heaps, lie- Shuffling the soggy bed-
By Doris McCartney Ibrowback no doubt to some
Pesticides are petrochemicals, made from oil, and as Engelken has been growing good bugs in a manure pealed bedtime checks send ding ardund wax a gesture
Spring winds during the unknown wild nature, strikes
the energy crunch gets tighter in the decades to come, compost pile for about nine years now. The good bugs, chicks without warning. Be- me clucking In maternal cir- much like » inother does In
farmers will be forced to give up their dependence on pesti- called anaerobic bacteria, can survive in the oxygen in the night are apt to cause anoth- clqs on my knees mull the tidying up bsUMvurs. '
er crisis on the farm. When a fore the symptoms develop, I
cides, he believes. outside world, and "do the work in the soil," as Engelken birds arc finally programmed A chMpUtt tune'resumed
farm wife is playing nurse- usually pour baking soda into
The University of St. Louis is studying this very subject puts-it. Anaerobic bacteria are what make nutrients availa- lo cuddle wilh or wilhoul Ihe and I nolllcd llio chicks were
maid lo a flock of baby chick- Ihe drinking water or use a
on Engelken's farm. A study last year shbwed Engelken can ble to plants. lights. snuggled again, after Ihe
ens even a small crash causes commercial product.
produce comparable yields to farmers who use pesticides at He purposely located one of his compost piles next to Chicks are like kids, as emergency.
a fraction of the cost, both monetarily and in terms of ener- his house to point out that the good bugs can take away the panic. TuckedJn long as Ihey arc cheeping, I fled back lo Ihe house
odor associated .with manure as v/ell as speed up the de- Tree limbs felled by gur.ls Even well-pampered chicks (hoy arc thriving and behav- through Inc gusty storm.
,gy consumption.
"I am not criticizing how others farm, and I'm not tell- composition process. Yesterday he hosted a group of farm- signaled mi1 awake one night die accidentally by sneaking ing.'When Ihey nru hushed I Before I •'dropped off to
ing them how to farm," ho said, "but I can produce the ers attending a manure composting conference at his form. causing me to jump from ;> under feeders or by some ri- dive into the broudur house sleep, the. Irishman suld,
The bugs turn the manure into fertile compost in three warm bed and head fbr Ihe diculous gymnastic slum. expecting to see a four fooled "Count on; Hie',hoping for a
same crop for $20 and $30 an acre that other farmers can
weeks' time something that under ordinary circumstances brooder house. prowler has broken in lo drumstick by Die Fourth of
Chickens, like hogs, can'l July." ' ;.'. •
would take a year. The compost stacks are stirred twice a Consideration? scare Ihcm.
week over a three week period. "The lights are out and the uckcd III Bt bedtime, while Broken Glass
National Speaker chicks will smother," I mum- hey arc small, In coniform-
bled pulling on sweatshirt >ln circles, after II Is dnrk.
After 1 deposited the bro-, ATTtMlONI
Then the compost Is ready to spread on his fields. En- ken gla.ss Into n feed sack on To our Cut'oifWf — PtoH and
gelken will be harvesting a crop of rye next week, and he and stacks. Daylight Saving time scram- this occasion mid tacked up Fuk'tc. W* brf vtty <wic«ined in
plans to spread the compost on the rye field before he "Take my raincoat, it's cardboard to shelter the ir quid lo the big thong* in (fi«
iles their clocks, so 1 usually
plants it to corn. He does the same thing between cuttings longer," my husband, David, bin s, they quieted. totflo Ltutineii.
drop down plastic shades, If
the Irishman offered.
of alfalfa. the letnperature permits, WE NltD
"It takes 50 percent more time, but It's worth it, he ad- 1 grabbed the battery Inn- fooling Uiem/into the think- TOUR HELP
ded. tern and sprinted through Urn ing it is past sunset.
Engelken tests all of his soil. He relies on (he bugs and rainstorm. By the time I Baby chicks are not al-
Wanted! Wt ctKiJfi Vno* Ho, MX, Mi tf litp
(<H feu, unttt Ttv tiid ir-tm tit haM Ihi
the legumes to come up with the nitrogen In his crop rota- checked the smashed window • (tx.Mifi and Ihi bwOt it al! U.<d> on* ••
tion and he applies organic forms of phosphorous and phos- on the brooder house, I was iMlamly Jed't «rrt Ignwttl ww» of put
phate according to the soil tests.
Engelken, an Iowa Master Farmer, is recognized na-
tionally as an expert on the subject. He's given speeches in
15 states, receives letters daily from organic growers, and
wide awyko.
My star hoarders, a mix-
ture of pullets and cockerels,
FOR SALE SCRAP culttBitffl), «U4 ivtlt if jtu in 90,1^ la
Mtdthim. 7 ' ',
fltttt Id ut Vntfi « IDM at paint'*. ^
phont « moil gv ta Nw many «n4 *hOf
Lots of
has 1,000 letters on hand right now which he hasn't had
time to answer.
were shivering in terror,
pi ed in two corners. The Holstein springers
• Scrap Iron tottd 1*« *4Rl IV lhi\ <fta. Wi t&«
bun m Ihi trill bttitx*!! In 11 fioit <n
Ih* ia<n* totatbi frxj «r itdxafid i«
wind was whipping through
jagged glass. I had to latch ' on hand. • Mixed Metals wm ,ov !>*«« »>lS qrifilf built «l oN
hrl.Ji .: •
the door to keep it closed.
Judging Session Set .for 4-H'ers Since this was nn emergen- FOR SALE OR RENT • Copper Ovr bvllt art ytrWon (U IV m
louUd b mllfl ft,W. ol An«m»M »n
)h«n*wUatiifop:
Linn county 4-H members camp, Linn 1 county 4-H lead-
cy, I untied the delivery box-
es from the ceiling and gath-
Breeding bulls • Brass STICKLE BULL
interested in livestock judg- er, said. ered the chicks into the ship- of all kinds. RENTAL SERVICE
ing will have their first ses-
sion at 7:30 p.m., June 2, at
"A 4-H member gains deci-
sion making tools that he can
nng compartments before
they needed artificial respira- Call (319) 855-2005
M.Feder & Sons Ph. 462-2030 or 467-703!
An am oia, Iowa
use Ihe rest of his life, while Don 5f«D»* I 5on», O«ier
Wilson and Co.
learning more about live-
tion. no pniwtr coll I5S-3I33 t211F.»«.KE3tt-U17 Worrrfi WiilVmm, Mqr
Linn county coaches Ster-
ling Young, Dennis Uthof, stock." As I groped about on the
Mike Rice, Gary Goodlove, The 4-H members will be ground corn cob bedding, 1 AmbroseHess
pondered problems chicken !•«•"« AT UNITED LUMBER. AN AMOSA«^«

[USED DIMENSION
Shirley Klinsky and Reagan working on breeding , and
Robinson will be instrucling market livestock in beef, raisers encounter. Worthington, Iowa
the 4-H members. swine, and sheep. For the Cannibalistic attacks, <v
"Livestock judging is some- market classes, 4-H members
thing thai takes lots of prac- will learn about meat prod- I 3 x 1 2 75< lin. ft. 4x17 S0< lin. ft.
tice and help," Keith Wester- ucts and grading of livestock. Eastern Iowa Livestock Commission, Inc. 1 3xl487Vj< lln. ft. 8x8 1 .07 lln. ft.
U.S. HIGHWAY 30, MECHANICSVIUE , IOWA 1 2x10 344 lin. ft. 10x10 1.67 lln. ft.
Can Recycling Livestock Auction Every Wednesday 1 2x12 40<lin.ft. 12x12 2.40" lln. ft.
Duane Fisher, Vinton Future Farmers of America COGGON LIVESTOCK SALES CO. Bring your calves, hogs and sheep early. Our
buyers will be there. We will start at 12 noon 1 SAVE ON SHINGLES
PHONE 435-2302 Phone R*s. Coggen 435-2470
(FFA) instructor, stands by a can crusher which the every Wednesday. 1 3 TAB T-LOCK Frtnch Mithod
Kenny Hoge Res. Springvllla, 854-6957
FFA chapter will use to dispose of empty herbicide
cans. Disposal of the cans is a problem since the
SALE EVERY MONDAY AT 8 P.M.
A good wl« lost Wednesday. Good v*o i $33 to $50; evil talvel $20 lo
S30- Iambi S59 to 564 twt; marV.et cwei and burin SI 3 !o SI 4; ewci
end lombi $30 U, $34 po? Send, imoW p. 9* $10 lo $30; 30 lo *0 ib. pig%,
1 $1000,,. $710 $coo
Special for Monday May 24 r
I mm itcnii f »q. v >q.
cans have been known to contaminate underground $30 to S45; 50 lo 80 Ib. plgt, $50 to $67 per head; h-ovy feeding dogi
14 Angus ste«rs-650 Ibs; 17 Angus stock cows
water supplies. Benton county farmers can return 12 with calves at tide, balance close Springers; 3
$50 to $55 cwt.; gilti 4 iowi J 175 to $300; boO'i $39 lo $41 twt ; heavy
KJWS, $39.50 to $41 cw1.; choice ilcer & heitar to'vet, $36 to $46,
ROOF COATING $1.35 gallon in 5 gal. pails
their empty herbicide cans at their local chemical good young Angus bulls; 80 feeder plgs-60 Ibs. dioice j-potling ilecti 4 heifer i, $36 to S42; plain itti-M & heifeii $30 to ROOFING NAIIS 50# Box 25.00
$37- including Haljtcm. Will liU o fow lo'ei. 5 he.fcri mined 206 Ib*, at
dealers. The FFA chapter will crush the cans and sell DAILY LIVESTOCK MARKET: CATTLE HOGS i40 25 6 hciters plain, 637 Ibi cl $32; 5 while tact heifert 495 Ibi. ot 1 x6 Fir or Pin*
SUB SMITH, Owner and Operator $36- 3 while fote Wcrs, 640 Ibi. at $34; 1 MacV i»*-r, 690 tbv. o» 438,
them to a salvage yard for recycling into scrap met- 6b!od wMefoc- cow*. $272.50. 13 blad hfifm, 740 Ibi oi J33.75; CAR SIDING .. 8"1«,. 10' 1.25 .-.
4 wMv face itpm 825 Ibi a* $37.40, 10 ifi-eft 1090 Ibi. ot $ 3 8 3 0 . 1
al. ' . il«., 1435 ibi.oi $36.25, 10 herfert 91 7 ibi . cl $35 80: "J biach Hem.
1065 Ibi. of S3680, 1 Wack »len, 1055 Ibi. ot $37,10, 5 Weri. 800 REINFORCING MESH
Fir 2x6.A - A
Call Us For All Types Of Insulation IN STOCK
Ibs. ot $3'. 10; 7 heifen, 930 lln. a: $35 70; 9 Hot»t*in bulls. '090 tbi
al $36- 3 VM* bulli. 1 140fci ot $36.60; 1 block he.fef. t C M O ' b i . o t
$36.80; 1 Meet hcifei, 1365 !b» ot $34 10; 2 bbtV wUr loj* H««i,
616, 10 go.
;so<c.it.
m—
$OQ r-io-i? *9flli
inumtloh fc"lW W
T v A good supply of new and salvage and rebuilt 1^)50 fcl 0! $36, Other igiej en the iarr,r order, Bulls $36 '0 $37. good loll tmH
HO* 0»'tl " *' • • < *
cowl $29 lo $33; cor-ne, cow*, $23 to $28. t-pecl.r.g o oood w'r w.i
CEDAR RAPIDS 365-FOAM parts and assemblies for I.H. Tractors and im-
plements. Rebuilt baler knolters and balance aod wont frfsn oaWrtned or WMT. l-ilcn fo' Sflfly liittrtg ot 5 55 Wed
ALUMINUM OR VINYL SIDING $C1
vim,•»>« """" i » ' ' morning on WMT. Call, we wi'l drive out to your form Cot fa' tr f**dtf eat Both with backer. Stveral colors. U 1 sq.
mower heads. Salvage I.H. mower and baler
IOWA CITY 337-FOAM tk. Remember we hove tSt buyers.

WATERLOO 236-IQAM JOE PAILUOTET CO. ELI SHADA and SONS I

UNITED LUMBER r"Sr
DUIINUE ROAD, »N»MOS», IOWA Ph. 4»]-4Uf oM«-}»1
Sde Bo'" *V^* X3? 6512. Bill D.cVfy. Born v - g 43? 6675
Riverside, Iowa (319)648-2111 Ell 462-3644 C°" Colled Chuck 463.4008 1 Owntrt-DO!) ind RICK STICKLE. UKIEJttl iCNWERS
FOAM INSULATION n HOME PROTECTION, I