• How Did The Spanish Flu Epidemic Of 1918 Enter America

In two years between 1918 and 1919, A pandemic of influenza swept mercilessly over the planet, killing millions which stood in its path. Miraculously, the exact origin of the pandemic is unclear. What is exceedingly clear, however, is that often the actions of man aided in the spread of the virus, whether due to inadvertent endangerment, close quarters, religious principles, or failure to recognize the true threat that influenza posed.

The book “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, written by John M. Barry, covers the progression of the Spanish influenza, especially in the United States. Barry focuses not only on the influenza itself, though, but also on the social influences that allowed the virus to flourish. The book covers how medical practices in the United States had risen up just in time to combat the virus, but, due to societal issues and the war, the doctors struggled in areas where they should have been successful.

This influenza occurred at the latter point of “World War 1” coming at a vulnerable time for the world. Many people have already died due to the war, and many resources and money has already been consumed. So when the pandemic hit, it hit with a charge that left a great wound in the economy and health of the people not just in the U.S. but the world. People responded by taking more precautions in health and safety, and took radical response in the exterminating of animal populations.

The book The Great Influenza by John Barry takes us back to arguably one of the greatest medical disasters in human history, the book focuses on the influenza pandemic which took place in the year 1918. The world was at war in the First World War and with everyone preoccupied with happenings in Europe and winning the war, the influenza pandemic struck when the human race was least ready and most distracted by happenings all over the world. In total the influenza pandemic killed over a hundred million people on a global scale, clearly more than most of the deadliest diseases in modern times. John Barry leaves little to imagination in his book as he gives a vivid description of the influenza pandemic of 1918 and exactly how this pandemic affected the human race. The book clearly outlines the human activities that more or less handed the human race to the influenza on a silver platter. “There was a war on, a war we had to win” (Barry, p.337). An element of focus in the book is the political happenings back at the time not only in the United States of America but also all over the world and how politicians playing politics set the way for perhaps the greatest pandemic in human history to massacre millions of people. The book also takes an evaluator look at the available medical installations and technological proficiencies and how the influenza pandemic has affected medicine all over the world.

The virus that caused the pandemic was a strain of H1N1 Influenza A that killed through a cytokine storm (overreacting the bodies immune system). This is why healthy adults had a higher death rate than elderly people or children. The name "Spanish Flu" comes from the fact that Spain was the only country reporting on the outbreak while other countries suppressed the outbreak to keep morale up as WWI was happening.[1] The pandemic had two main waves in 1918 and was gone by 1920. The Spanish Flu killed 50 to 100 million people (3%-5% of the worlds population at the time) and around 500 million people were infected. The life expectancy in the U.S in 1918 dropped by 12 years as a result of the disease.[2]After the second deadly wave hit in 1918,

Influenza, an innocent little virus that annually comes and goes, has always been a part of people’s lives. Knowing this, one would not believe that it has caused not one, not two, but three pandemics and is on its way to causing a fourth! The Spanish flu of 1918, the Asian flu of 1957, and the Hong Kong

Avian influenza is a disease that has been wreaking havoc on human populations since the 16th century. With the recent outbreak in 1997 of a new H5N1 avian flu subtype, the world has begun preparing for a pandemic by looking upon its past affects. In the 20th Century, the world witnessed three pandemics in the years of 1918, 1957, and 1968. In 1918 no vaccine, antibiotic, or clear recognition of the disease was known. Killing over 40 million in less than a year, the H1N1 strain ingrained a deep and lasting fear of the virus throughout the world. Though 1957 and 1968 brought on milder pandemics, they still killed an estimated 3 million people and presented a new

The prime ages affected were “twenty-five and forty” (Burg). It was not uncommon that they had no precursors to this oncoming illness. It took a long time for studies to be conducted on the genetic material of the strain that killed so many people. From an article, 1918 Flu Pandemic, “in 2008, researchers announced they’d discovered what made the 1918 flu so deadly: A group of three genes enabled the virus to weaken a victim’s bronchial tubes and lungs and clear the way for bacterial pneumonia”. In addition to pneumonia, some people developed heliotrope cyanosis, “…a condition that filled victims’ lungs with a thick blackish liquid, turned their skin bluish-black, and usually proved fatal within forty-eight hours” (Burg). There also was no vaccine since “the first licensed flu vaccine appeared in America in the 1940s” (1918 Flu Pandemic). All attempts to make a vaccine to help prevent the influenza were unsuccessful. An experimental vaccine was distributed in Oshkosh, WI at no cost, “Three inoculations, each a week apart, were recommended over a period of six to nine months to "confer immunity." from influenza. The vaccine also proved ineffective” (Wisconsin). When these failed, it left them to try other non-medical

The influenza pandemic of 1918 was a tragic event in New Zealand history that killed many. The influenza also known as the spanish flu broke out after World War One ending in 1918. The spanish flu was a worldwide disease that is thought to have originated from america, the spanish flu has always been about but the second wave was spread by European soldiers and was much more deadly and vicious infecting the world everywhere. Although it did not originate in Spain it was called the spanish flu because of a spanish king, King Alfonso the XIII dying from it. The spanish flu came to New Zealand in 1918 after the war finished carried and spread by military soldiers. Some people believe it came abroad with the ship ‘Niagara’

A pandemic of influenza (flu) occurs when a new flu virus that is foreign to our bodies spreads around the world, causing serious illness and possibly death. It is highly contagious and can therefore spread easily from one person to another, infecting an entire community in a matter of days.

The 1918-1919 influenza pandemic was a historical event that has left an impact on healthcare. Influenza is a life threatening illness caused by influenza virus. It is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract cause serious infection and death around the globe, especially in winter months. There are three different types of influenza viruses, type A, B and C. Influenza A is responsible for influenza pandemic (Australian Government Department of Health, 2015). The 1918, Spanish influenza was a deadly pandemic, infected an estimated 500 million people globally and killed 50 to 100 million of them in three waves. Pandemic began in the United Sates in March 1918 in a crowded army camp in Fort Riley, Kansas. The second wave struck lethally

The Spanish Flu started as an average flu but then progressed into an bearable suffering. It usually started with headache, sore throat, and fevers but then, accompanying the regular symptoms, came liquid in the lungs, fatigue, and major chills. One of the Doctors speaking of this pandemic said that the victims of this disease that drowned from the fluid in their lungs were lucky, the others had to suffer through bacterial pneumonia which prolonged the agonizing pain. Lucky for the people of the world- this flu only lasted for around two years(1918-1919) before it vanished by itself. In those extensive two years the flu managed to make over fifty million humans give up the

The Spanish Flu was very deadly. Mostly for ages 20-40. Also an estimate of 675,000 Americans died from it. It also infected 28% of Americans twice. Also an estimated 43,000 servicemen mobilized for WWI died of influenza Crosby. About one third of the planet's population at the time–and killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million victims and that’s a lot of people.

In 1918-1919, the worst flu in recorded history occurred, killing an estimated 50 million people worldwide. The U.S. death toll was 675,000 - five times the number of U.S. soldiers killed in World War I. Crazy! This flu was unlike any other, and in infected unlike any other. Not to mention, the progression of this illness was extremely quick. One minute you’re fine and the next you’re suffering from a high-grade fever and lying on your death bed.

As the Great War (WW1) was coming to an end there was a break out of a deadly virus. Influenza was the major cause of death in the 1900 killing a fifth of the world’s population in just one year. Glasgow was the first British city to be affected in May 1918, the next few months it spread all around Britain killing 228,000 people. Influenza did not affect the elderly or those who were sick it was mainly affecting those who were between the ages of 20 and 40 who had good immune systems were the ones who were becoming vulnerable. For example nowadays people are encouraged to get vaccines for flu known as ‘flu jab’ which is available every year for everyone on the NHS to protect adults and children. However people in the 1918 who were mainly affected were those between the ages of 20 and 40 unlike now its elderly over 65 years, young children, adults and those people with poor immune systems. The flu jab is not a 100% guarantee that