Spanish Influenza in 1918

Abstract

Spanish Lady was a disease that rained destruction on the human race, which spread across America in two waves, and took only three months to spread across much of the world. It is estimated that almost forty million lives were lost during the outbreak or pandemic. There were many prevention techniques advocated during the time of the “great flu.” Wearing of masks was made a legal requirement in public (Palese, 2004). After the flu pandemic of 1918, America demonstrated that it had learned from the outbreak in the epidemics of 1930s and 1950s. Extensive research has helped in identifying the strains of the virus and has shifted towards finding a cure, as the disease evolves rapidly, it cannot be prevented and cured by any one specific medication (Palese, 2004).

Contents

Abstract2

Brief History4

Contributing Factors behind the Pandemic4

Avertion/Prevention of 1918 Outbreak6

Could the Outbreak of Influenza have been Prevented? What Could have been Changed?6

Were Any Problems Ignored? Actions Taken Against the Pandemic7

Can the Flu or a Similar Disease be Prevented In the Contemporary World?8

References10

Spanish Influenza in 1918

Brief History

The deadly Influenza disease began in the year 1918, towards the end of World War I and was commonly referred to as the “Spanish Lady” or the “Spanish Influenza” despite the fact that it probably began in Fort Riley, America. It was a disease that rained destruction on the human race, which spread across America in two waves, and took only three months to spread across much of the world. It is estimated that almost forty million lives were lost during the outbreak or pandemic, at a time when the field of medicine was thought to be “relatively modern” and evolving at a rapid rate (Palese, 2004). Therefore, it left the medical community confused as they had thought that the only incurable disease left was the Syphilis commonly found in soldiers of that time. The Spanish Influenza was fatal to such an extent that it wiped out almost sixty percent of the Eskimo population in Alaska, and millions of civil and army personnel, especially young adults above twenty years of age, during one of the greater wars in history (Crosby, 1976). Spanish Influenza is thought to be the worst epidemics to have swept the globe, surpassing even the “Black Death” or “Bubonic Plague” of the 12th century. At an estimate, it caused almost ten times as much death as the World War itself (Hoehling, 1961)..

Contributing Factors behind the Pandemic

The year 1918 is marked as the year of great suffering and death for the human population. This pandemic left everyone greatly affected, and most felt the touch of the deadly virus. It spread along with thousand of human carriers traveling along shipping and trade routes, primarily from America to Europe, through army personnel which then spread on to civilians as well (Crosby, 1976). As Crosby highlighted, "Influenza struck the two armed services previously and more ruthlessly than the civilian population and, to a significant level, the armed services were the foci from which the civilian populace ...