The world had struggled through four years of terrible warfare. But now it was over, the threat was removed and mankind was safe again. But not for long. For in the middle of 1918 a new killer was silently spreading it�s way through people�s lives. It started out as a simple case of the flu. But it worsened, until it became deadly. It would do its work with lethal efficiency. Often the victim would be dead within hours of contracting the disease

lungs

The Spanish Flu actually originated in Tibet in 1917. As the armies of various nations moved across the continents the flu spread with them. Before long cases were showing up in Europe. When it hit France, it changed its character, becoming malignant as it was contracted by African soldiers who had been recruited into the French army.

After establishing a stronghold in France, the flu moved into Spain. Spain was a neutral player in the First World War. For that reason it had no need to censor the illness from its people in order to keep them focused on the war effort. The Spanish press, then, fully documented the illness, along with its terrible life taking effects on the human body.

The fever would affect a person in the following way:

(2) Tiredness and dizzy spells

(3) Loss of strength to the point of not being able to eat or drink without assistance

(4) Difficulty in breathing

(5) Death

The Epidemic spread quickly around the earth. In all, some 525 million people were infected by the virus, with about 21 million people dying. That was more than twice the number who had been killed during the Great War. In many countries public gatherings were forbidden. The Flu was especially devastating on many people as they welcomed back their men from the war, overjoyed that they had managed to survive the slaughter that was the war. But their joy soon turned to grief when they found out that their men had brought the virus back with them, and it would not only kill them but also other family members.

The Spanish flu struck the United States with a vengeance. In fact, over a quarter of all Americans were hit with the virus. In New York City alone some 33,000 people died. In San Diego, California city officials imposed the precaution that everyone had to wear gauze masks when within the city of San Diego. Masks of four-ply surgical gauze which were tied around the mouth and nose were given out to all residents of the city. Not surprisingly, the law was less than popular with the local citizenry. Holes would be cut in the masks to enable people to smoke. Women would wear the masks as a veil, letting them hang loose around their necks. Civil libertarians fought the law on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. The penalty for disregarding the law was a fine of one hundred dollars and thirty days in jail.

President Woodrow Wilson himself contracted a mild dose of the flu while he was in Paris working out the details of the Treaty of Versailles. It is believed that if Wilson had not been so ill, the Treaty conditions would not have been so harsh and the Second World War may have been averted.

An unusual aspect of the Spanish flu was that, rather than attacking those with weak immunity systems, it tended to target the young and healthy members of society. This was a complete reversal of the normal pattern with influenza, which normally attacked the old, the infirm and the young. But now it was those in the prime of life who were being targeted. These were the people who were responsible for the day-to-day organizational matters of people�s daily lives. With them felled by illness, it must have seemed that society was falling apart.

As quickly as the Spanish Flu came to plague mankind it disappeared. It briefly reappeared in March 1919. This time, however, the world was better prepared and the virus could be quarantined. Again it disappeared after inflicting a rapid death toll. The world was glad to see the back of it.