The Last Flu Epidemic, 1918-1919

Just over 100 years ago, the world faced a deadly pandemic not dissimilar to COVID-19. The "great flu" of 1918-1919 was largely forgotten until we needed to historic lessons on how to combat the waves of infection. With Christopher McKnight Nichols, this week's show investigates the pathogenic parallels.

Essential Reading:

• Christopher McKnight Nichols and Brandon Jett, “Americans used to sacrifice for the public good. What happened?” Washington Post, December 7, 2020
• Nancy Bristow, American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic (2017).

Recommended Reading:

• John Barry, The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (2005).
• Laura Spinney, Pale Riders: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World (2018).

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