Plague Books discussion

A Short History of Nearly Everything I am just reading this and on page 317 and surprised to jsut read this:

"It is sometimes called The Great Swine Flu epidemic and sometimes The Great Spanish Flu epidemic, but in either case it was ferocious. World War I killed twenty-one million people in four years; swine flu did the same IN ITS FIRST FOUR MONTHS. Almost 80 percent of American casualties in the First World War came not from enemy fire, but from flu. In some units the mortality rate was as high as 80 percent."

There are some more really hard to believe facts. I have read The Great Influenza twice but do not recall it being called Swine Flu. (in that book) I do remember reading that it came out of western Kansas not Spain as people thought at that time. It traveled east with the troops but was very mild and then came back later after having mutated.

I remember that it was swine flu because in the 1970s they had a panic that a soldier who died had it. I think that was in KS. So the media and doctors caused a panic with HUGE vaccination courses. My parents both got them. Also a lot of people got sick or died from the vaccines. And there were zero cases of the flu in the end. ZERO. And they think maybe the soldier who died really didnt have it. Then when the avian flu panic started several years ago they said IT was like the one that caused the pandemic in 1918 as well. H1N1. But it was bird not swine.

But another factor we have to remember now is that in 1918 medicine was a joke and there were no respirators or antivirals or anything really to treat people with the flu. In this day and age, the same amount of people might get it but likely a lot less would die.

And of course lots of people DO die of the flu (non swine or bird) still each year. Mostly the elderly.

I think the key is monitoring and educating people.

Terri wrote: "I remember that it was swine flu because in the 1970s they had a panic that a soldier who died had it. I think that was in KS. So the media and doctors caused a panic with HUGE vaccination courses..."

Oh, completely agree with you. You are so right! My Mom and I stood in line about 1977 to get that stupid swine flu vaccine. We actually went to the mall and stood in line! What on earth was I thinking? I never take the flu vaccine anymore and have been told NOT to do so by two of my doctors. It mutates too fast for a vaccine anyway.

I saw my Dr. Monday and he said that will never happen again. He said some people didn't even wash their hands back then as they didn't understand simple hygiene altho I know from reading The Great Influenza they did wear worthless masks.

Well, it is hard to educate people as some think they shouldn't eat pork! That gave me a laugh a couple of days ago when I watched The Doctors eat pork on TV to reassure people! LOL!

I do think our CDC is a big joke tho. They worry me some. I learned quite a bit about them when I read Osler's Web which is a real expose. I doubt they have changed much as organizations like that rarely do.