I knew there was a terrible flu epidemic near the end of what we now refer to as World War I. The Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19 struck young people particularly hard, and killed between 20 and 40 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 Americans, far more than the war. But what CAUSED what was perhaps the second deadliest disease outbreak in human history?
The EcoHealth Alliance’s Robert Kessler shares some facts:
“In researching his book The Great Influenza, John M. Barry discovered that in January 1918, a doctor in Haskell County, Kansas reported unusual flu activity to the U.S. Public Health Service. By March, that had spread to nearby Fort Riley. On the morning of March 11, an Army private reported symptoms of fever, sore throat, and headache. By lunch that day, more than 100 soldiers on the base had fallen sick.
“At the time, very little was known about viruses and their transmission. In fact, the very first virus – Tobacco mosaic virus – had only been discovered 26 years earlier in 1892.”
Interesting that the recommendations against contracting the flu were slightly different from a century later. “Wash inside nose with soap and water each night and morning; force yourself to sneeze night and morning, then breathe deeply; do not wear a muffler; take sharp walks regularly and walk home from work; eat plenty of porridge.”
Kessler notes: “Diet and exercise are, of course, essential components of our health, but a brisk walk isn’t going to do much when it comes to preventing a virus from hijacking a host’s cells and replicating itself. From Fort Riley, soldiers carried the disease to other American military bases and, eventually, the battlefront in Europe.”
That first wave wasn’t particularly virulent. But, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control: “In September 1918, the second wave of pandemic flu emerged at Camp Devens, a U.S. Army training camp just outside of Boston, and at a naval facility in Boston. This wave was brutal and peaked in the U.S. from September through November. More than 100,000 Americans died during October alone.”
Stanford University notes the awful effects of the flu epidemic worldwide: “It spread following the path of its human carriers, along trade routes and shipping lines. Outbreaks swept through North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Brazil and the South Pacific In India the mortality rate was extremely high at around 50 deaths from influenza per 1,000 people. The Great War, with its mass movements of men in armies and aboard ships, probably aided in its rapid diffusion and attack.”
As the CDC notes, “Scientists now know this pandemic was caused by an H1N1 virus, which continued to circulate as a seasonal virus worldwide for the next 38 years.”
For ABC Wednesday
that’s horrific, but I had no idea the flu killed that many people. I’m glad we know how to curtail its effects, now!
Roger,
WOW, now this is so interesting! I hope our world never sees this kind of deadly destruction caused by disease again. It’s really scary stuff, isn’t it?
Amazing how such disasters have humble beginnings. Great post.
Roger, I just heard a piece on NPR’s Science Friday. An etymologist pointed out that the word “influenza” is Italian, having to do with “influence,” particularly influence of the MOON! I don’t know, maybe that’s why the cheese looks green?
Amy
one can feel quit miserable through the flue
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Roger ~ great post for D ~ just finished novel about the time of flu epidemic ~
Happy Friday to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
You’ve got me curious to learn about the origins of the virus. Google, here I come.
Goodness Gracious. I remember reading about the Spanish Flu. The was I see it. The population was much lower than what we are living with now. We have to have to feed all of these people. It is out of control. We are living in a 24/7 lifestyle. Always going. Stop 🛑. Stay at home. It is your safe place. We will need this for a little longer. Eventually, we will be able to come out of this. ☮️