The Bell's Toll

The phrase "for whom the bell tolls" refers to the church bells that are rung when a person dies, with the bell tolling slowly and repeatedly.

When the bells tolled in the Middle Ages, it was for the 25 million dead - a quarter of the population of Europe - who perished in the waves of the bubonic plague. 

When the bells tolled over England in the eighteenth century, it was for the entire cities and towns wiped out by the small pox. 

When the bells tolled in 1918, the year which saw the First World War come to an end, millions had died and the world was exhausted. But then a new horror gripped the world - a terrifying virus that would claim millions more lives - the Spanish Flu.

We know that the cities we live in are battlegrounds in a war that never ends. Our enemies are bacteria and viruses, whose presence means disease, and whose spread means epidemics.

What's happening around the world now is absolutely shocking for all of us, but those awful epidemics of the past are the reason why we are so cautious now, and why we were so cautious in the 1950s when the Science Magazine of the Air produced an old time radio drama called The Bell's Toll. 

It's the story of Dr Miller, a doctor in the New York public health service, whose job it is to keep epidemics out of the city of New York. 

His first step in that is quarantine, watchful eyes, and careful tests constructed of sanitation and vaccination amongst other things. When a case of bubonic plague is reported in Casa Blanca, and a ship from there docks in the harbor at New York, and a rat escapes, panic ensues, and Dr Miller and his team work tirelessly to ensure no epidemic materializes. 

However, they don't follow up on a case of small pox upstate, which is then caught by a woman who travels through three other states before returning to New York. Is there another epidemic imminent?

As this story shows, epidemics are not a new thing to our shores, and over the years, we have learned so much more about the viruses and how they spread. We are better informed nowadays to control and protect, and that's exactly what we will do.

Listen to the show and you will see why it's important to follow the advice.

On a more positive note - if you're self-isolating you get the pleasure of listening and enjoying unlimited old time radio shows guilt free. Maybe you could share-a-show with a friend to give them a bit of relief from the television and radio updates about COVID-19.

Stay safe. We'll get through this, together. 

Happy listening,