Produced by the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine and Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library

Influenza Encyclopedia

The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919:

A Digital Encyclopedia


St. Paul, Minnesota

50 U.S. Cities & Their Stories

“Spanish influenza does not exist in Minneapolis and never has, but it probably will reach here during the fall,” city Health Commissioner Dr. H. M. Guilford told residents on September 19, 1918.1 The statement was both boastful as well as cautionary, as Guilford would have been well aware of the havoc influenza had wreaked across the East Coast. Ten days later, on the evening of September 29, civilian, military, and school officials jointly declared that influenza had made its way into Minneapolis. The first case, which appeared on September 27, was later identified in a man who had visited his son in Camp Dix, New Jersey. Approximately 150 cases were reported in the city, the vast majority among cadets and soldiers from University of Minnesota Student Army Training Corps units or the small detachment at the Dunwoody Institute Training Camp, and the rest among sixteen nurses from the University Hospital reported to be suffering from a mild form of the disease. The ill cadets were transferred to the Fort Snelling hospital, while medical officers on campus conducted physical examinations of all men in an attempt to identify cases as early as possible. To help deal with the situation, the university postponed regular enrollment until October 9, hoping that the influenza situation would clear up by then.2

East 7th Street, looking east from Wabasha Street North. The Alhambra Theatre, located at 14 East 7 Street, can be seen on the right. The theater, which entertained up to 425 patrons per show, operated from 1911 to 1930. During the epidemic, public health officials closed the Alhambra and all other theaters and public entertainment venues in the city. Click on image for gallery. East 7th Street, looking east from Wabasha Street North. The Alhambra Theatre, located at 14 East 7 Street, can be seen on the right. The theater, which entertained up to 425 patrons per show, operated from 1911 to 1930. During the epidemic, public health officials closed the Alhambra and all other theaters and public entertainment venues in the city.

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St. Paul, Minnesota

Timeline of Events

Excess Death Rate (per 100,000) Daily EventsClick day to view details. Selected Event
graphNational
200Excess Death Rate (per 100,000)
180 
160 
140 
120 
100 
80 
60 
40 
20 
0 
Total Excess Death Rate 413
Total Deaths per 100,000 population over duration of epidemic (roughly 1918 September 14 through 1919 February 22).
 19181919
 AugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarchApril
Sa273101724317142128512192629162330714212841118251815221815222951219
Fr2629162330613202741118251815222961320273101724317142128714212841118
Th2518152229512192631017243171421285121926291623306132027613202731017
We243171421284111825291623306132027411182518152229512192651219262916
Tu2330613202731017241815222951219263101724317142128411182541118251815
Mo2229512192629162330714212841118252916233061320273101724310162431714
Su21284111825181522296132027310172418152229512192629162329152330613

September 17, 1918

According to Dr. B. F. Simon, City Health Officer, Spanish influenza is not present in St. Paul.