The Spanish Flu (1918-1919)

Summary:

The Spanish Flu was a global pandemic that started in 1918 and ended in 1919. During this time, there were three major waves with the most severe one occurring during the fall of 1918. The flu's origin cannot be determined due to the series of chaotic events occurring globally during WWI. The Spanish flu wasn’t covered extensively due to WWI censorship, war priorities, lack of knowledge of viruses, and the social stigma around the flu. The infection rate was approximately 500 million people, and the mortality rate was around 50-100 million. Symptoms included fever, chills, and fatigue which led to pneumonia. The public health response included quarantine and wearing masks. Due to the Spanish flu, more advancements were made in medicine and public health. Communication was limited leading to limited public awareness.

The Bourbon news. [volume], October 22, 1918, PAGE TWO, Image 2

This article was published by “The Bourbon News” on October 22, 1918. It is located on the second page near the top left, written in an informative/expository writing format. During this time, the flu was underreported due to the wartime censorship. They imposed censorship to prevent any news from hurting the war effort. In this newspaper, the section covering the Spanish flu is in small font and next to other topics making it hard for readers to find. The section covering the flu is called “Everything’s ‘Flu’ Now!”, making it seem like it isn’t a big deal and states, “Have you stumped one of your toes? Have you just a bleeding nose? Or not matter what your woes- Spanish Flu”(The Bourbon News). 

"The Spanish Flu Was Deadlier Than WWI | History"

The YouTube video "The Spanish Flu Was Deadlier Than WWI" was published on February 28, 2019. This video is informational as it covers why the flu is called the "Spanish" flu, how the outbreak started, the three waves, and the death toll. In the five-minute video, it states "To put things in perspective, more than 16 million people died in World War I. The Spanish Flu killed at least 50 million people. And some believe the number may be closer to 100 million. In the US alone, 675,000 people will die from the flu. That's more American deaths than American soldiers who died in World War I"(HISTORY,4:26). This video goes into detail about the symptoms, causes, and results of the Spanish flu. It covers how the allied powers and the central powers wanted to limit reports of the outbreak to reduce talking about the additional loss of life during this time period.

Comparison Between Contemporary Sources (Now vs. Then)

After reviewing both types of sources, I think there is a clear difference between the news article published in 1918 and the YouTube video published in 2019. While the YouTube video goes into detail about the number of deaths, the newspaper merely makes comments about everything being the Spanish flu. While newspapers and videos are two very different forms of contemporary sources, we can tell which source is more informational. Newspapers are more credible since they are fact-checked information and normally have an in-depth analysis. Though it is credible, newspapers are normally published daily and may have some outdated information. YouTube videos are more engaging and entertaining and allow visual and auditory learning. Though it is more entertaining, there's more room for error when it comes to videos. There could be misinformation, distractions, and quality variations. Both types of sources have their pros and cons when it comes to covering topics. When comparing how both sources covered the Spanish flu, I think that both sources were able to produce what they could during 1918 and 2019 given the different circumstances.

Work Cited

HISTORY. The Spanish Flu Was Deadlier Than WWI | HISTORY. Youtube, uploaded by HISTORY, 28 Feb. 2019,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZD95Lp7ikU  

“Influenza Precautions, Then and Now – Circulating Now from the NLM Historical Collections.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2015/01/15/influenza-precautions-then-and-now/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.), 22 Oct. 1918. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. < https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069873/1918-10-22/ed-1/seq-2/ >