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How the 1918 Flu Spread Across America (2017)
- harias 8y agoNew York city fined or jailed people for not covering their cough during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic source : https://www.cdc.gov/features/1918-flu-pandemic/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/features/1918-flu-pandemic/index.html
- autokad 8y ago> "Although some researchers argue that the 1918 pandemic began elsewhere, in France in 1916 or China and Vietnam in 1917, many other studies indicate a U.S. origin." I am leaning towards China as the source until really convincing evidence comes up because: - a major deadly flu outbreak happened prior to US in China - Chinese laborers were shipped across US/Canada to Europe - China has often been the origin of global plagues
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoThe US was also shipping a lot of soldiers to Europe in 1917 and 1918. I suspect in vastly larger numbers than Chinese labourers.
- js2 8y agoWhile doing ancestry research years ago, I learned I had a great uncle who immigrated to America from Romania aboard the RMS Carpathia in 1904. (Eight years later in 1912, this would be the first ship to come to the Titanic’s rescue, and six years after that would itself be sunk by a U-Boat.) My great uncle had left Romania likely to escape anti-semitism. He’d eventually find his way out to Denver. Sadly, he’d die in 1918 (the same year the Carpathia was sunk) at the age of 25, very probably from the flu. This is a picture of him, along with his headstone and declaration of intent to become a citizen: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l16p7esag82jibs/AADTWigk7acJSrK2596qAatba?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l16p7esag82jibs/AADTWigk7acJSrK25... Google Streetview of his Denver, CO address: https://goo.gl/maps/DEgz5WWai822 https://goo.gl/maps/DEgz5WWai822
- JKCalhoun 8y agoDoing genealogy, I found I also have a relative that died in 1918 from the flu pandemic. This was in fact in Kansas (surprised to see Kansas mentioned in the article). https://imgur.com/dKvAf3V https://imgur.com/dKvAf3V This photo was her high school graduation photo. Within a year she would be 1) married, 2) have a daughter, 3) die from the influenza pandemic one day after her husband. Her daughter would be raised by her grandparents, and go on to have a large family....
- Aloha 8y agoThis is a fantastic book on the topic: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Influenza-Deadliest-Pandemic-History-ebook/dp/B000OCXFWE/ https://www.amazon.com/Great-Influenza-Deadliest-Pandemic-Hi...
- ruytlm 8y agoThe author of the linked article is also the author of that book (John M. Barry).
- duxup 8y ago"The age of the victims was also striking. Normally, elderly people account for the overwhelming number of influenza deaths; in 1918, that was reversed, with young adults killed in the highest numbers. This effect was heightened within certain subgroups. For instance, a Metropolitan Life Insurance Company study of people aged 25 to 45 found that 3.26 percent of all industrial workers and 6 percent of all coal miners died. Other studies found that for pregnant women, fatality rates ranged from 23 percent to 71 percent." That's really one of the most scary aspects. Fair or not when the very young or old die of a disease we often think of it differently. But when the healthiest people start dropping it really drives home how serious the situation is.