The Spanish Flu 1918-1920

The world experienced a major pandemic that killed between 20-100 million people from 1918-1920. The Spanish Flu struck even the most remote areas including the arctic. The outbreak may have begun in Kansas. Some soldiers incinerated horse manure. The burning poop let off a bizarre yellow tinge. People soon got sick. Seemingly healthy soldiers shipped to Europe and the trenches. The unsanitary conditions in the trenches created the perfect conditions for the flu to spread.

The Spanish Influenza was especially virulent and contagious. People walking the streets of Boston fell over dead. 5000 Philadelphians died in one week. People in out of the way places caught it and died. Mt. Pleasant, Michigan was hit hard despite being in the middle of nowhere. It even spread to the Pacific Isles and the Arctic. Some areas of Africa saw 20% of the population die.

The dead tended to be younger, stronger, and healthier. People in their 20s and 30s were especially susceptible. The older generation had some sort of immunity as a result of another epidemic from the 1890s. Also, young children seemed to be able to fight off the flu.

How does this apply to today's flu panic? First, the virus today is the same as 1918. Second, the virus operates the same way. Third, the first wave has been mild and there are fears a second wave could devastate come the fall.

How is it different? First, soldiers are not fighting in trenches. Second, modern health practices are superior to 1918. Third, the media reaches almost everywhere as opposed to 1918. Also, governments issued media blackouts during 1918. It is called the Spanish Flu because the Spanish media did not have such restrictions and reported events.

The Spanish Flu is largely forgotten except to historians and health professionals. People have short memories. Perhaps the hysteria over the current flu epidemic is less the fault of the media and more the fault of the population which chooses to forget or refuses to learn.