1918 Influenza - article about 1918 Influenza

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

The soldiers who fought in Europe at the time died as often from the 1918 influenza pandemic as they did from enemy fire. The fact that troops were living and moving together in close proximity helped the rapid spread of the disease, and the compromised immune systems of the soldiers from combat stress increased their susceptibility. There were very few countries throughout the world that were not affected by the 1918 influenza pandemic. In areas of Alaska and southern Africa, entire villages perished. In the United States, as many as 675,000 people died.

The Devastation Of Communities

Nearly every community in the world was impacted by the 1918 influenza pandemic. Even in areas where the mortality rate was lower, illness contributed to the complete change – and sometimes the complete halt – of everyday life. Shops were closed because shopkeepers were too sick or afraid of getting sick to come to work. Between the needs of the war and the 1918 influenza, there was a tremendous shortage of health care workers to attend to patients. Volunteers were called in to assist in hospitals and clinics. The Red Cross requested that local businesses offer a day off to employees who gave time to help in the clinics at night. Emergency hospitals had to be created to accommodate the many in need of medical treatment. Even burying those who died became a challenge due to the shortage of grave diggers. Communities had to resort to mass graves that were dug by steam shovels, and dead that was buried without coffins in many cases.

The Deadliness Of The Disease

The 1918 influenza seemed to strike quickly and with a terrible vengeance. Doctors had reports of patients that would fall ill on the way to work in the morning, and by dead by nightfall. A victim would come in for medical assistance with the appearance of normal flu like symptoms that would quickly evolve into pneumonia more severe than many doctors had ever seen. Some deaths occurred from malnourishment and untreated infections in overtaxed communities. The 1918 influenza pandemic continued its reign of death and destruction for eighteen months before finally becoming contained by medical professionals and scientists. It will go down in history as one of the deadliest pandemics to ever strike our globe.

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