The Killer Flu of 1918

    On October 5, 1918, Violet Harris found out her school was closing down. A dangerous disease was spreading around the country. But to Violet, 15, it didn’t feel like a threat. 

    “It was announced tonight that all churches, shows, and schools would be closed,” she wrote in her diary. “Good idea? I’ll say it is! So will every other school kid.”

    But Violet’s excitement didn’t last. Within a week, the disease had taken hold in her hometown of Seattle, Washington. The entire city was gripped with fear. People started wearing masks to protect themselves. Violet’s dad could find only three masks for their family of seven. 

    Worst of all, Violet’s best friend, Rena, got sick. Before long, she could hardly walk. Violet was scared for Rena, and she couldn’t even visit her friend. “It is too bad, but no one can take the chance of getting the flu,” she wrote. “It’s too dangerous.”

    On October 5, 1918, Violet Harris found out her school was closing down. A disease was spreading around the country. It was dangerous. But Violet, 15, wasn’t scared. 

    “It was announced tonight that all churches, shows, and schools would be closed,” she wrote in her diary. “Good idea? I’ll say it is! So will every other school kid.”

    But Violet’s feelings soon changed. Within a week, the disease took hold in her hometown of Seattle, Washington. People were scared. They started wearing masks to protect themselves. Violet’s father could find only three masks. There were seven people in their family.

    And that wasn’t all. Violet’s best friend, Rena, got sick. Before long, she could hardly walk. Violet was worried. And she couldn’t even visit. “It is too bad, but no one can take the chance of getting the flu,” she wrote. “It’s too dangerous.”

    On October 5, 1918, Violet Harris found out her school was closing down. A dangerous disease was spreading around the country—but to Violet, 15, it didn’t feel especially threatening. 

    “It was announced tonight that all churches, shows, and schools would be closed,” she wrote in her diary. “Good idea? I’ll say it is! So will every other school kid.”

    But Violet’s excitement didn’t last. Within a week, the disease had taken hold in her hometown of Seattle, Washington. The entire city was gripped with fear. People started wearing masks to protect themselves from the illness, and Violet’s father could find only three masks for their family of seven.

    Worst of all, Violet’s best friend, Rena, got sick. Before long, she could hardly walk. Violet was afraid for Rena, and she couldn’t even visit her friend. “It is too bad, but no one can take the chance of getting the flu,” she wrote. “It’s too dangerous.”

    Does Violet’s story sound familiar? She lived through something a lot like the Covid-19 pandemic. In 1918, a disease called the Spanish flu spread around the world. By the end of 1919, one in three people worldwide had gotten the disease. At least      50 million died.

    The first sign of the pandemic came in March 1918. A cook at an army camp in Kansas came down with a fever and a cough. Soon the camp hospital was filled with patients.

    At another time, the disease might not have spread out of control. But people were fighting in World War I. Every week, thousands of American troops went overseas to fight. Many brought with them a dangerous flu. This silent killer would cause more deaths than the War Itself.

    If Violet’s experience sounds familiar, it’s because she lived through something very similar to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 1918, a disease called the Spanish flu spread around the globe. By the end of 1919, one in three people worldwide had gotten the disease. At least 50 million died.

    The first sign of the pandemic came in March 1918: A cook at an army camp in Kansas developed a fever and a cough, and before long the camp hospital was filled with patients.

    Under ordinary circumstances, the disease might not have spread out of control—but World War I was being fought around the globe, and thousands of American troops traveled overseas every week to join the battle. Many brought with them a dangerous flu, a silent killer that would go on to cause more deaths than the War Itself.

    The war made it easy for a contagious virus to spread. Factories were packed with workers making ships and guns. Soldiers were crowded into army camps and trenches.

    For those who got sick, medical care could be hard to find. Many doctors and nurses were busy at the battlefields. In cities, wounded soldiers filled the hospital beds.

    And the public wasn’t told enough about the virus. During the war, many nations censored the news. They didn’t want the enemy to know that their troops were weakened by disease.

    The war created the perfect conditions for a contagious virus to spread: Factories were packed with workers making ships and guns, and soldiers were crowded together in army camps and trenches.

    For people who got sick, medical care wasn’t always immediately available. Many doctors and nurses were busy at the battlefields. In cities, wounded soldiers filled the hospital beds.

    To make matters worse, the public wasn’t given complete and accurate information about the virus. During the war, many nations censored the news to avoid revealing to the enemy that their troops were weakened by disease.

    In August 1918, there was a second wave of the pandemic. This one was even more deadly.

    Most flus are worse for the old and the very young. But this one mostly attacked healthy people between the ages of 20 and 40. And it killed fast. Patients turned blue from lack of oxygen. They bled from the nose and mouth.

    At first, public officials wouldn’t admit how bad the pandemic had gotten. In September, Philadelphia let 200,000 people gather for a parade. About 4,500 people died in the next week. Bodies were kept in garages until they could be buried. Still, one city official promised, “From now on, the disease will decrease.”

    In August 1918, a second wave of the pandemic swept around the globe—and this time, it was even deadlier.

    Flus are typically most dangerous to the elderly and the very young, but this disease attacked mainly healthy people between the ages of 20 and 40. And it killed quickly, causing patients to turn blue from lack of oxygen and to bleed from the nose and mouth.

    At first, public officials wouldn’t admit how bad the pandemic had gotten. In September, Philadelphia allowed 200,000 people to gather for a parade. About 4,500 people died in the next week. Bodies were kept in garages until they could be buried. Still, one city official promised, “From now on, the disease will decrease.”

    It took time to bounce back from the 1918 pandemic. But in some ways, the world came out stronger. Governments spent money to make sure people had good health care. Scientists studied contagious diseases. In 1918, there were no medicines to protect against the flu. By 1942, scientists had made the first flu vaccine.

    Flash forward to today. The world is suffering through another pandemic. This time, it took less than a year to make a vaccine for Covid-19. We owe that success in part to what we learned from the people who lived through the Spanish flu. With a little luck, they may help us bounce back faster than the world did 100 years ago. 

    It took time to bounce back from the 1918 pandemic. But in some ways, the world came out stronger. Governments worked to make health care better. And scientists studied contagious diseases. In 1918, there were no medicines to protect against the flu. By 1942, scientists had made the first flu vaccine.

    Flash forward to today. Once again, there’s a pandemic. This time, it took less than a year to make a vaccine for Covid-19. We learned a lot from the people who lived through the Spanish flu. With luck, we might bounce back faster than the world did 100 years ago. 

    Although it took time to bounce back from the 1918 pandemic, the world came out stronger in some ways. Governments spent money to make sure people had good health care, and scientists studied contagious diseases. In 1918, there were no medicines to protect against the flu. By 1942, scientists had developed the first flu vaccine.

    Flash forward to today. The world is suffering through another pandemic. This time, it took less than a year to develop a vaccine for Covid-19. We owe that success in part to what we learned from the people who lived through the Spanish flu. With a little luck, that may help us bounce back faster than the world did a century ago.