Day 4. March 19th, 2020
CDC estimates that from October 1, 2019 through March 7 2020 there have been 22,000 to 55,000 deaths because of the flu season. And that’s in the U.S. alone. Not from this current strand from which we have had 150 so far. The first case was confirmed in Washington State in January. So, I don’t know whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about the next five months given the nature of this novel virus and people’s stupidity to ignore directives.
Oliver Goldsmith’s (1730?-1774) Essays: Number XIII “On Mad Dogs”
Indulgent nature seems to have exempted this island from many of those epidemic evils which are so fatal in other parts of the world. A want of rain for a few days beyond the expected season, on some parts of the globe, spreads famine, desolation, and terror, over the whole country; but, in this fortunate island of Britain, the inhabitant courts health in every breeze, and the husbandman ever sows in joyful expectation.
But though the nation be exempt from real evils, it is not more happy on the account than others. The people are afflicted, it is true, with neither famine nor pestilence; but then there is a disorder peculiar to the country, which every season makes strange ravages among them; it spreads with pestilential rapidity, and infects almost every rank of people; what is still more strange, the natives have no name for this peculiar malady, though well known to foreign physicians by the appellation of Epidemic Terror.
A season is never known to pass in which the people are not visited by this cruel calamity in one shape or another, seemingly different, though ever the same; one year it issues from a baker’s shop in the shape of a sixpenny loaf, the next it takes the appearance of a comet with a fiery tail, the third it threatens like a flat-bottomed boat, and the fourth it carries consternation in the bits of mad dog. […]
A dread of mad dogs is the epidemic terror which now prevails, and the whole nation is actually groaning under the malignity of its influence. The people sally from their houses with that circumspection which is prudent in such as expect a mad dog at every turning. The physician publishes his prescription, the beadle prepares his halter, and a few of unusual bravery arm themselves with boots and buff gloves, in order to face the enemy, if he should offer to attack them. In short, the whole people stand bravely upon their defense, and seem, by their present spirit, to shew a resolution of being tamely bit by mad dogs no longer.
Their manner of knowing whether a dog be mad or not, somewhat resembles the ancient Gothic custom of trying witches.
It was a more productive day than yesterday. Got 2,500 words in for the WIP, prepped distance learning lesson for students and gave feedback to those who choose to participate. Interacted with the virtual learning community of educators after Kelly and Penny’s 4th video session today.
