Dr. Powers & the Influenza Outbreak at Camp Dodge

Images Courtesy of The Powers Museum

Everett Powers, the tenth child of Dr. John and Maria Powers, was born on June 2, 1869 in Labaddie, Franklin County, Missouri. After receiving his medical degree, Dr. Powers established an ear, eye, nose, and throat specialty practice in Carthage, Missouri in 1902. Dr. Powers served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War I. He was stationed at Camp Dodge, Iowa where he witnessed and wrote about the influenza outbreak firsthand.

Dr. Powers studied medicine at the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio and the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began work as a general practitioner in Monett, Missouri in 1896. He then took special courses at the New York Post-Graduate School and Hospital and the Philadelphia Polyclinic in 1900.  Finally, Dr. Powers studied abroad in both Vienna and Berlin prior to opening his ear, eye, nose, and throat practice in Carthage, MO.

Dr. Powers was inducted into service at Carthage, Missouri in August of 1918. He was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa in early September to serve as a physician in the camp. He remained stateside at Camp Dodge through the end of the war.

Dr. Powers at Camp Dodge

While stationed at Camp Dodge, Dr. Powers wrote to his wife, Marian Powers, almost every day. Marian Powers was the daughter of a prominent local business man, and was also a coloratura soprano who performed with traveling symphonies from St. Louis to New York. Their correspondence offers a great insight into the life of an army doctor during the influenza outbreak in 1918. Below is an excerpt from a letter written by Dr. Powers to Marian in October of 1918.


"My Darling girl: Just got in a few minutes ago from the Base Hospital where I have been since 7:30 this morning. Was only away from my station there long enough to Eat dinner and supper. Probably 45 min. both meals. We still have about same number of admissions 700 or 800 daily. A good many deaths now from Pneumonia  It is certainly a calamity where it strikes a camp like this..."


Dr. Powers correspondence is housed at the Powers Museum in Carthage, Missouri. For more information regarding Dr. Powers and his personal correspondence, please contact the Powers Museum.

Sources:

Missouri Digital Heritage Soldier's Records: Everett Powers.

Carthage (Mo.) Evening Press, August 26, 1918.

Joplin (Mo.) Globe, August 27, 1918.

Carthage Evening Press, January 23, 1952.

Powers Family Biographies. Powers Museum, Carthage Mo.