Blast from the Past

August 29, 2007

Week of Aug. 26, 1958

The local Health Department has received the first of six kits to be shipped to it by the State Department of Health, in a campaign to search for any possible specimens indicating an outbreak of Asiatic influenza.

Not a single case of the new flu has been reported here, and the kits are just a precautionary measure.

The local Health Department still has not received any of the purported vaccine to treat Asiatic flu, and it is understood that the vaccine is still unobtainable here.

The disease in this country so far has been mild in its effects, and no plans have been made for any mass inoculation of the general public, but preparations are being made in case there should be an outbreak.

There were numerous tips entered in last week's Daily Mail news tip contest. The tip concerning five children of one family having their tonsils taken out at the same time won a $2 cash prize. The following residents won $1 each for their tips: A West Side Avenue resident, who brought in a 130-year-old Hagerstown newspaper which provided some interesting data of those days; a Chestnut Street man, for tip on boy swallowing a quarter; and a West Franklin Street girl, for tip on local man eating 180 clams at one sitting.

Week of Aug. 26, 1982

The vice president and two other members of the county SPCA's board of directors have resigned, apparently because of some internal disagreements. Agency president Susan Nicholson said she doesn't intend to change any policies. Nicholson said she thinks the two women who resigned were upset with her approach to dealing with news reporters. "I think really what is behind a lot of this is I have felt that we want less of the fuzzy, cutesy pictures of dogs and cats who need a home. I think we need hard-hitting stories on such problems as animal overpopulation and what the solutions might be."

Not too long ago we were commenting on the absence of cloud seeding complaints in this part of Western Maryland - but no more. A group of Washington County citizens will meet Monday night to air their suspicions.

There has been a dearth of rain in some parts of the county this month. While rainfall has been plentiful to the east, only about a third of an inch has fallen locally and to the west.

Farmers and gardeners suspect planes loaded with iodide crystals have been dissipating rain-producing clouds soon after formulation.

Some so-called experts have claimed in the past that effects of cloud seeding have been exaggerated, and others say the mere presence of planes overhead affects the imagination.

Perhaps some of the state leaders invited to the meeting at the Wilson Ruritan Club will have an answer - but don't depend on it.

- Compiled by Kelly Moreno

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