In 1918, the US Surgeon General Rupert Blue said of the 1918 Influenza, "There is no cause for alarm if precautions are observed." The US Navy Bureau of Sanitation said the "fresh air & sunshine kill the germ in a few minutes." Evangelist Billy Sunday said it was caused by sin...
In October of 1918 alone, the Influenza killed 195,000 Americans. 100 soldiers died per day at Camp Devens, the National Army cantonment for New England, making it one of the hardest-hit regions of the country
Influenza sickened 26% of the Army and killed almost 30,000 men before they could even reach France. In France, the influenza was a more efficient killer than the Germans in the month of October - which was especially horrific as October was one of the bloodiest months
Ironically, the outbreak of peace worsened the situation temporarily, as quarantines were broken across US camps as troops lost their minds in celebration
As camps emptied with troops being discharged, overall conditions improved, timed with the passing of the virus's 1st wave
As camps emptied with troops being discharged, overall conditions improved, timed with the passing of the virus's 1st wave
Like WWI, the influenza of 1918 devastated the US in a short period of time, and then both were shoved into the rear-view mirror and largely forgotten. Both shaped the American psyche in profound ways. Both are deserving of even more study.
(this is not to say that C-19 could in any way be like the Influenza of 1918, but lessons learned from pandemics should definitely be studied)
