chapter 552

Mar 31, 2020

Virus

a fungus among us

Grandpa William Hayden Olmsted in 1918 served in WW1. He told me about how weak and incapacitated he was starting at basic training in Camp Pike Arkansas  in the heartland a couple states away from Fort Riley in Haskell, Kansas thought to be the origin of the world wide pandemic of Spanish Flu that killed up to 100 million people worldwide.

Honored as surviving doughboy of Cortland County.

There are MANY unknowns in this current coronavirus pandemic much the same way as it was a hundred years ago. The same can be said of the novel (new) 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic that killed upwards of 100 million people in the world. There were no vaccinations,  no cures. Both influenzas have spread from birds to animals to humans and more will occur in the future. Below is my meager attempt to document some bits of information just to try to understand a little of this complex issue in my own way.

When we sold the family Virgil home I salvaged this 1918 family farm ledger that itemized the balance sheet of sale of cream, eggs, maple syrup, cows, hay, milk, etc.and costs of labor, blacksmiths etc. In the front pages these notes are the only documentation I have on Grandpa's military service. From the162d Depot Brigade

Camp Pike, AR he was transferred to Camp Merritt, NJ A.E.F. American Expeditionary Force to be shipped overseas but was in their hospital for a time. The documented outbreak at Merritt was September 1918 so I presume Hayden was there about that time or possibly Oct. The next page of the ledger indicates a hospital in Winchester England. I recall he was sent to Le Harve France to fight in the war but was still hospitalized there or simply returned as the war ended in Nov 11, 1918.

The New York Times presents this recent photo layout of a Century of Epidemics. This being a 1918 emergency hospital ward for soldiers in Kansas.

Dr Hultin at 72 years old in 1997 returned to Brevig Station Alaska to dig thru the permafrost to gather samples of the Spanish Flu virus. His amazing story is documented at the U.S. Center for Disease Control .This H1N1 virus was fully identified (genome sequenced) subsequent to this effort. He first went to Alaska in 1951 to attempt this and only partially succeeded. He voluntarily came out of retirement from Sweden just a few years ago to help complete this effort.

Netflix How to Prevent a Pandemic Outbreak . There are many agencies attempting to oversee and control virus epidemics including the USAID. These chicken cages look so familiar since I fed thousands and thousands of them just like this during my highschool days at the Van Gorder Farm next door (except we were not issued masks). And the farm converted to hogs as later.

Excellent Documentary on the 1918 Pandemic We Heard the Bells  50 minute 

Excellent  1918 Pandemic survivor's story 11min

The story in the last Florida chapter has become more of a Covid-19 issue and I've modified it. I've since learned that the green blobs in the wall painting are benign corona viruses that are genetically modified to treat cancer. I've since learned of several cases of positive tests for corona virus coinciding with our visit. When we went we were cautious and avoiding excessive contact but the extent of the contagion was not yet well known or reported. I had figured it was early enough in the time line that we'd probably be OK and it's now past the incubation period (>14 days) so I believe we are fine. We both did have some nagging sore throats and slight coughs but believe it to be allergies or air conditioner effect ( or caught a little virus as they say).

At least 3 died at the Atria Willow Wood Adult Living Center five miles from the Einstein Bagel shop we frequented. Many other clients , staff, cooks and construction workers also tested positive. Did they come for bagels?

The Whole Foods market we ate at had a worker test positive. The news article photographed the table we sat at having our lunch. Did the infected worker handke my credit card?

TSA Agent at Fort Lauderdale tested positive the same day we left from there. Was the TSA agent handling our tickets in contact with the infected agent?

Jeffrey Ghazarian at 34 years old was at Disney World during our week suddenly became sick. He was spitting up blood. Then he flew home (wouldn't have wanted to be in the seat next to him) to California tested positive and died.

The Trump Brazilian delegation meeting at Mar Lago a few miles north took place while we were there. The Brazilian President and an aide tested positive. The young healthy 40 year old Mayor of Miami was there and tested positive. He self isolated and tweeted only had symptoms of a mild cold.

A friend of mine recently got his PA and works at the Emergency Room at Martha's Vineyard. He set up and is now doing triage at this Covid Emergency Tent on Martha's Vineyard. The Island has been over-run with seasonal residents who while trying to escape virus hotspots have created an unwanted population explosion overloading the medical system.

Antigenic Shift and the H1N1 A Influenza Virus Mechanisms in Medicine 3 min. Viruses have existed for over a billion years and there are millions of varieties residing in all animals. They are parasites that depend on hosts for existence and self replicating. They are continually morphing and self modifying. When certain conditions prevail they jump between species. This is the problem that occurs especially in southeast Asia, especially stemming from the unsanitary Chinese wet markets containing bats, rats, snakes, chickens, etc.

2003 SARS- Covid Virus Whos to Blame Canandian Broadcasting 2019 Coronavirus= Covid19= SARS Covid 2 very illuminating, very similar to current outbreak

Wildlife Trade center for SARS outbreak Vox 8 min 

Five things to know about MERS  from World Health Organization 2 min

The Lockdown in Wuhan China Chinese Production 30 min

The Science Behind the Coronavirus LA Times 2020 33min

PBS 2019 warning of why another Pandemic is Likely 9 min (hour long special) One of many warnings throughout the years. 

Decent brief Coronavirus capsule Hussain Biology 5 min

Boring but expert John Hopkins Coronavirus March 2020 at Capitol hour and half

Johns Hopkins is the primary source for Coronavirus data

Excellent interpretation of the data Financial Times London

Smart Thermometers data correlation with coronavirus questionable

I'm liking the fact that Jackson Browne at 71 only felt minor symptoms after testing positive for corona virus (probably from Love Rocks NY concert Mar 12).

In New Orleans is experiencing the highest rate of confirmed positive cases per capita for the coronavirus in the world. It is believed to have originated from the Mardi Gras which occurred on Feb 25.

The first positive test was presumably done in Washington State Feb 28 but I'm thinking it has been around the U.S. much earlier maybe months and much more widespread around the world.

China's Response after the outbreak presumably more effective than Western World (even with lies):

John Ross   today 9 min

Bill Gates week ago 10min

Bill Gates week ago 50 min

Bill Gates 5 yrs ago 8min

Italy In to the Red Zone Sky News 50 min

Death projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation mathematical models are now being estimated at near 100,000 in the U.S. and x  in the world but models have many uncertain variables and are subject to change. Will covid19 become seasonal, will we build up resistivity to it?

100 Years - have we learned  John Barry author 9min

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