Case Studies on the H1N1 “Spanish Flu” Influenza Pandemic, 1918–1919

This chapter provides an historical summary of the H1N1 “Spanish Flu” Influenza Pandemic, 1918–1919. The name of this pandemic is a misnomer as the flu could have originated in Asia or elsewhere, but not in Spain, and was attributed to soldiers living in overcrowded barracks and cramped spaces in the trenches during WWI. The initial symptoms of the H1N1 influenza resembled ordinary flu. As military troops who were infected returned to their home countries by rail or ships after WWI, the virus spread. In 1918, no reliable influenza test, vaccine, or antibiotic for secondary infections like pneumonia were available. No major disease control organization in the U.S. existed. Instead, non-pharmaceutical preventative measures were encouraged to mitigate the spread of the disease. Available communication tools during this time period included newspapers, magazines, wire services, and movie theaters. Case study 2.2 shows how the U.S. Public Health Service and American Red Cross collaborated to communicate safety messages during the influenza. Case study 2.3 explores how telephone companies nationwide had to encourage callers to curb usage due to a shortage of telephone operators. Case study 2.4 examines social, cultural, and legislative factors in the U.S. and U.K. that contributed to the proliferation of dubious promotional tactics and claims.