The Flu's Origins
The first reports of a disease of epidemic character came from a telegraph message from Madrid to Reuters news agency in London. In Spain the disease was known as three day fever, which spread rapidly across the country, and was reported as mild in character. Public transport and businesses were affected and the King of Spain also contracted the disease (the name Spanish Flu came as a result of these first reports from Spain) (Quinn, 2008). The first wave was typical of any influenza epidemic. Reports were made to London of an epidemic from the far and near outposts of the British Empire. The Spanish were not pleased at being held responsible for the outbreak. The disease was also reported in military camps in the US before the report from Spain. The disease soon mutated and the wartime conditions of masses of men in close quarters proved crucial to the spread and mutation of the virus (Quinn, 2008).
The pandemic was no respecter of high rank or social status. The strategy of the better off to retire to country residences, thinking only the poor would be affected proved ineffective (as with the Black Death centuries earlier). The Chancellor of Germany, Prince Max of Baden, caught the disease but survived, however Lu Kuyan, aspiring Emperor of China died from the flu as did author Guillaume Apollinaire and South African premier Long Botha. Among famous people infected who survived were David Lloyd George, Franklin.D.Roosevelt and the richest woman in world Mary Pichford (Quinn, 2008). One of the most shocking and awe-inspiring facts about the flu are that it took the lives of millions of young healthy people. Nothing else, including famine, war or pestilence had such a high death toll in such short a time. However, these awesome facts have not resulted in wonder or widespread fear in relation to the Spanish Flu (Crosby, 2003). |
Source: http://www.flucentre.org/media-library/p/detail/picture-the-1918-spanish-flu-pandemic |