Putting Pandemics in Perspective: England and the Flu, 1889-1919

Abstract

Authors who examine the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19 fail to grasp its full context. Placing it alongside the Great War or other diseases only provides a partial construction, dramatically altering the narrative. With these limitations authors make it an exceptional example and model for future influenza pandemics. A full context involves incorporating the Great War and the Influenza Pandemic of 1889-92. Solely examining England demonstrates the unique experience of one country. Presenting the entire context is vital to comprehending how the public, medical professionals, and government officials perceived and reacted to the flu in the entire period 1889-1919. This examination shows that the pandemic of 1918-19 was the extreme, and that there are other courses for flu pandemics. It argues that, despite increased mortality, in 1918-19 the general public were not dramatically altered by the event. This illuminates it in an entirely different manner for all involved.