Nurse Bragg

I have written about Ocracoke Island's nurse, Kathleen Bragg, in earlier posts. I recently discovered this short article from The Florence Times, Florence Alabama, March 24, 1958:

Island’s nurse Thinks Flu Under Control
Ocracoke, N.C. (AP) – The only registered nurse on doctorless Ocracoke Island said today she believes a flu epidemic which has struck 300 of the 500 residents now is under control.

Nurse Bragg, Photo Courtesy OPS

Mrs. Kathleen Bragg, herself abed with flu, said drugs sent from the mainland and from neighboring Hatteras Island, plus the visit of a Hatteras doctor, had controlled the situation.

Dr. Garland Wampler, U.S. Public Health Service officer at Hatteras treated as many as he could among the estimated 200 bed patients on Ocracoke.

Mrs. Bragg said he didn’t plan to return unless she told him the situation was beyond her control.

She said the weeklong epidemic was not getting worse, and she felt she could handle it.

Mrs. Bragg is treating the residents, mostly fisherfolk, by telephone and messenger. She has the help of a practical nurse, who gives antibiotic shots to the pneumonia cases and others who may need them.

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Mrs. Godfrey's ghost who haunts the Island Inn/Odd Fellows Lodge. The story is taken from Chapter Three of my book, Digging up Uncle Evans. You can read the account here: https://www.villagecraftsmen.com/mrs-godfreys-ghost/.