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"Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" a Cie Sg EP A -- a retin A et A ---------------- NE OF THE most poignant tombstones in this region lies in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Prince Albert. The tombstone has the fol- lowing inscription: James Moon 1819 - 1896 Catherine Mark, his wife, 1830-1916 Also nine infant children. That's all. No names, no dates, no explanations, just the stark statement, "Also nine infant children." The obituaries in the Ontario Observer reveal a horrible story. On July 20, 1876, Sarah Moon, passed away. She was only five years old. Less than two months later, on September 7, the death of Susan Moon, age 16 years, seven months and seven days was recorded. Two weeks later, Maria Moon, four years old, died. The tragic story behind these untime- ly deaths is to be found in the history of epidemics. In the fall of 1873 typhoid fever made its appearance in New York City. From there, the disease spread throughout the city and became an epidemic. It then began its perilous journey through- out North America. Death notices which appeared in the newspapers rarely gave the cause of death. In the obituaries, the cause of death was given on some occasions but families and the press were reluctant to report typhoid as the cause of death largely because of the implications of having a family member die of a com- municable disease. The death certificates signed by the coroners, however, could not hide the extent of the epidemic. Dr. Ware in Prince Albert, Dr. Richard Jones in Port Perry and Dr. Montgomery in Blackstock were kept extremely busy fulfilling their duties. The Typhoid epidemic of 1873 did not appear in Reach and Cartwright until 1874, reaching its height in 1875. In the months of January and February 1875, those who succumbed were among the adult population. Charles Paxton died on January 7. He was 47 years old. Mary Wilds of Manchester and Elizabeth Wilson of Cartwright died the following week they were aged 20 and 40 respec- tively. That year, the first children to be reported as dying of the disease that year were Rebecca Gibson of Seagrave, age three months and 17 days, and Elizabeth Walsh of Reach. She was two years old. John Lewis Webster of Brock, age one year and 10 months was reported in the same issue; February 18, 1875. The Ontario Observer, the newspaper which served Reach and Cartwright townships at the time was a weekly paper. Normally there would be three or four death notices scattered through- Ys CHARLES PAXTON Dies of Typhoid Fever in 1873 phoid Fever takes lives of area children out a month's issues of the newspaper. During 1874, 75 and 76, it was not unusual to see that many in a week! It should also be noted that during the epidemic, many families never both- ered to announce the deaths of their relatives, particularly of their children. In Blackstock the story continued. On March 4, 1875, the Observer reported that the infant son of Edward Bryans died. He was only one month and four days old. The death of Jennette Byers, the 3 year-old daughter of Greenbank's Dr. Byers was reported on the same day along with James Bentley of Utica. James was 32 years old. The following week saw the deaths of two Port Perry children, one year-old Cyrus Lebar and Herman Diesfeld, age one year, five months and one day. Herman was the son of John and Christiana Diesfeld who owned the jew- elry and watchmakers' shop on Queen Street, the eastern most shop now oper- ated by Settlement House Shops. In Blackstock, on March 28, Susan Mary Carscadden, age five months and 13 days, passed away. The Reverend Robert Reynolds died on May 23. Three days later, Mary Dickie succumbed at the age of two years and seven months. John Dickie, the father of the child died the following February. On April 22, the Gerow family proudly announced the birth of their twin sons. On May 12, they announced the death of an un-named ten day old infant son. His death notice was accompanied by that of William Morris, age two months and 19 days, Francis Cook, age two years, nine months and 19 days, and Mary Gilland of Brock age 22 years three months. A week later, the remaining twin son of the Gerows succumbed to the disease. On that date, May 19, 1875, five deaths were announced in the Observer. Throughout the nineteenth century, various forms of typhoid were a common cause of death with a handful of cases reported each year. Occasionally the disease became an epidemic. In 1847 this took place among the Irish emigrat- ing to Canada. Out of a total of 75,540 immigrants, 20,305 deaths were report- ed. Emigrants from Britain, and a DR. RICHARD JONES Port Perry's Coroner during Typhoid epidemic particularly Ireland experienced the horrors of a cholera epidemic in 1832. At Quebec, the port of entry, almost 4,000 died that year and the same number of deaths was reported at Montreal. Cholera epidemics were reported in 1891 and again in 1901. One of the worst and most destructive epidemics ever to face humanity was the influenza epidemic of 1918. Its dev- astation has been placed in the same category as the Black Death. It has been estimated that more than twenty million people perished as a result of this disease. More than half a million people died that year in the United States alone. The 1918 flu epidemic appeared to have avoided this area of Ontario. Nevertheless, the churches, Schools and Lodges were closed during the month of October as a precaution. In spite of these far reaching epi- demics, none had the impact on our communities as did the 1874-76 typhoid outbreak. Ironically, in 1875, as if to bring a ray of hope in the midst of this tragic epidemic, The Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto was established. 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