[ad_1]
The capital is short of medicines, in the middle of a health crisis that overlaps with politics, caused by the organization of parliamentary elections during the decree of state of siege. There are reports in the press about electoral fraud committed by liberals and the Opposition demands the cancellation of the elections. In parallel, “diseases spread” and the owners of inns and restaurants they are threatened with closure if they do not comply with the measures imposed by the government in relation to the “declaration of contagious diseases”. This is what the image of Romania in 1919 looks like, in the middle of a Spanish flu pandemic, according to the stories of “Universul”, the most popular and widely read newspaper of the time.
News and press commentary at the time capture a picture similar to the most surprising details with the current situation in Romania, 100 years away, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The main reason for the spread of pests is dirt”
“There have been numerous new cases of contagious diseases that wreak havoc because the things that came into contact with the sick are not disinfected.”, is shown in a news item published in September 1919 by “Universul”, entitled “Diseases spread”, in the midst of the Spanish flu pandemic that had already affected Romania.
We discover, on this occasion, the concerns of a “Very careful communal inspector” the fact that the strike by grooms and visitors to the Capital created a serious health problem, because “There is no one who leads the disinfection tanks in the city”.
“High heat, heaps of garbage, Mr. Mayor, and we think you’ve heard that the main cause of the spread of pests is dirt …”, was shown in the material published in the “Universe”.
At the same time, HoReCA industry speculators were making life difficult for Bucharest consumers. In “Carul cu bere”, a veal salad contained two or three olives, a little mustard and cost 5 lei.
“After fixing the new prices, the salad costs 4 lei: the olives and mustard are carried on a separate plate at the price of 1 lei, which is exactly the old price: 5 lei per serving.”
From other news we learned “Declaration of contagious diseases”, a kind of informative guide of the time through which the authorities showed who and how to report new cases of disease “To be able to take urgent measures of isolation, disinfection, deworming, vaccination, revaccination, etc.”
In 1919, the only way a person could inform the “health service” (the equivalent of today’s DSP) of a new case of “contagious disease” was to notify “Directly or by post tax free”.
“Attention is drawn to the fact that scientific non-compliance with this declaration entails sanctions (closure of premises, establishments, internships, hotels, fines and prosecution”
At the same time, life went on. In Bucharest, at the same time, mechanical drivers, “skinny good guys and corsairs” as well as “routine colonial” vendors were also in high demand (ladies are also allowed).
July 21, 1919: General Eremia Grigorescu dies of the flu, “such a stupid death”
One of the leading personalities of the time who died of the Spanish flu in July 1919 was General Eremia Grigorescu himself, the hero of Oituz and Marasesti.
According to the press of the time, Eremia Grigorescu died. “After the complications of the infectious flu that the brave general had suffered for two months.”
“He must have died a death so stupid that the death of heroes lurked, at all times, in the fields of glory.” It is shown on the news of the “Universe”.
British investigators have existed since 1919. Bonus: “forceful police” measures against those who spit in public
No, alcohol does not help in the prophylaxis or in the treatment of the flu, as the English scientists of the London Institute of Hygiene clearly state since 1919 in the article “Flu Again”, published in the March 7 issue of “The Universe “.
The ad appears to emerge in the fight against a veritable “fake news epidemic” before the letter, widespread at the time, regarding rumors that the flu can be cured with alcohol.
Similar fake news would appear 101 years later, in the spring of 2020, when WHO officials were forced to officially disprove several myths about miracle cures for COVID-19, including alcohol.
It should be noted that in 1919 it required “Strong police measures against people who spit in public, who cough and sneeze without a tissue in their mouth.”
The main prophylaxis methods were recommended “Simple washes for cleaning the mouth, teeth and hands” and continuous ventilation of rooms.
The terrifying sand of the past contains, on the various fact pages, terrifying details about crimes, accidents or terrible suicides.
The small advertising pages are also full of advertisements in the cozy cafes and terraces that promise atmospheres with charming music, pleasant presences, conversation.
Somewhere, sometime in August, a wallet was lost.
Lack and cost of medications. Pharmacists also complain
The citizens of 1919 complained that in the midst of the pandemic, “Medicines have become enormously expensive,” in particular those of prescription and that, secondly, “Many substances are missing.”
“There are so many issues that the director of the health service must think about, taking the appropriate measures and making interventions capable of remedying a situation that, especially in times of epidemics and enormous costs, the public feels a lot.”, is shown in the news published in “Universul”.
The picture is similar to the current situation, a century later, when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered, on a rebound, an inexplicable drug crisis.
Law enforcement agencies report being present on duty. From Ploiești we learned of the seizure “from the gypsies of the Mimiu village of numerous weapons, ammunition and military effects”, after a meticulous search carried out by the military and security agents in the area.
1919: The opposition demands the cancellation of the elections organized during the state of siege.
The health crisis overlapped at that time with a political crisis, multiplied by the difficult economic situation after the First World War.
The Socialist Party, the People’s League led by General Alexandru Averescu and the Conservative Democratic Party of Take Ionescu did not stand for election, citing the government’s continued siege and censorship.
The parliamentary elections of November 1919 took place under siege, proclaimed by royal decree in 1916, with the entry of Romania into the war, a decision renewed by another decree of 1918.
With this pretext, several opposition parties, including the Popular League led by future Marshal Alexandru Averescu, boycotted the elections, claiming that the government was maintaining a state of siege and censorship and called for a boycott by the population.
However, the great surprise of the elections at that time was that the Liberals, although in power, did not manage to obtain a parliamentary majority.
Despite this, the Opposition demanded the cancellation of the elections.
Another news item from the same period reports on the “issue of validation”, in relation to a final judicial decision to invalidate “The entire liberal list elected in Iasi, on the grounds that some voters voted twice.”
The government’s intention to raise wages amid the economic crisis was also seen as “a great danger.”
The liberal government was “faced with a considerable number of problems whose solution requires total urgency.”
The newspaper “Universul” criticizes the authorities for the way they handled these problems: “… it is perfectly possible that those who are put to preside over Romania today show not only a real request for the needs of the crowd, a request that without anger, until now has not been seen “.
A century ago, in 1918, immediately after the First World War, more than 50 million people became infected with the so-called “Spanish flu” virus.
The first case of influenza officially reported in what would become known as the Spanish influenza pandemic was on March 11, 1918. According to various estimates, influenza killed a total of between 20 and 100 million people.
The pandemic lasted from January 1918 to December 1920.
