by Trenna Sue Hiler

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: February 17, 2009

The numbers are truly staggering. More people died from the Spanish Flu pandemic than died in World War I. It is almost impossible to fathom. More people died in a single year from this virus that in four years that were declared the "Black Death Bubonic Plague".

It is interesting that the Allies of World War I named the influenza the Spanish Flu. They were not involved in the war and did not have censored news. It was a way to get the word out, but seemed a little harsh to give it the name of "Spanish Flu".

The controversy about the epidemic has never been completely resolved. It is clear that the deadly influenza was brought to the United States by soldiers who were returning home from the war. There is a question about the vaccinations they were required to take. Did these vaccinations actually cause the deaths and spread this particularly voracious strain of flu?

The thing that made the Spanish Flu so deadly was the speed with which it killed. Many case documented that within twenty-four hours of being exposed to the virus the victims were dead. As with any influenza they were some who did not become ill, but were carriers. With no knowledge or sickness they were carry the deadly strain to others.

The documentation of the pandemic comes from all over the globe. Much of the information we have to use comes in the forms of letters from those who were writing about the experiences and watching the illness. Roy, who was stationed in Camp Devens in Massachusetts writes the following September 29th 1918.

"Camp Devens is near Boston, and has about 50,000 men. or did have before this epidemic broke loose. It also has the Base Hospital for the Div. of the N. East. ....These men start with what appears to be an ordinary attack ofLaGrippe or Influenza, and when brought to the Hosp. they very rapidly develop the most viscous type of Pneumonia that has ever been seen. Two hours after admission they have the Mahogany spots of the cheek bones and a few hours later you can begin to see theCyanosis extending from their ears and spreading all over the face, until it is hard to distinguish the couloured men from the white. It is only a matter of hours until death comes, and it simply a struggle for air until they suffocate."

The Spanish Flu traveled differently than other influenza pandemics we have seen. The outbreak of the Spanish Flu pandemic spread simultaneously in three distinct waves during 1918. In Europe, Asia, and North America the outbreaks happened with hours of one another.

Pandemics do and will happen again. Scientists are working hard to try and prevent anything as severe as the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

References: http://flu.emedtv.com http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/mmi/jmoodie http://www.whale.to/vaccine/sf1.html

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