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Influenza In 1918 Essay

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Sicknesses that Shaped the World: Spanish Flu and COVID-19 In 1918, a sickness swept the horizon of Kansas that would eventually change people’s everyday life. The 1918 Flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, was an illness unlike the United States had ever seen (“History of the 1918 Flu Pandemic”). As anything that is unknown and scary would, the news about this influenza swept through the United States via newspapers. In October of 1918, The Topeka State Journal published newspaper reports about the flu epidemic. The people of Topeka, Kansas relied heavily on reading reports like these in order to keep up with the most current information about the deadly virus. In the midst of new information coming forward, Americans were desperate to stay …show more content…

In the article, it was mentioned that the flu was now a new and normal conversation topic in every aspect of life. The article goes on to talk about the need to stay home in an attempt to not spread the virus any further. Everyday life typically looked like going to work, school, and church among other things. However, with the spread of the flu out of control, everything changed. It was no longer acceptable to go do any of those things. On top of everyday activities being canceled, social gatherings were also no longer happening. Things like weddings, lodge meetings, and parties had to be put on hold. While the flu was rapidly infecting many Americans, it was changing the lives of many more people. This infection was changing every aspect of life as people knew it. The article went on to mention some of the people in the community who were ill with the flu. Some of the people mentioned, like Mrs. Slawson and her children were recovering quite well. Others, like Mr. Clyde Slawson did not recover well. The article concludes by mentioning Dr. Ensign’s move to Denver, Colorado in order to work in a hospital organized by the government. The town of Topeka was supportive of Dr. Ensign as he went to take on the daunting task of continuing to fight against sickness, specifically the flu. The Topeka State Journal was rising up to the occasion in order to provide the most reliable and relevant information possible in order to keep the people of the city informed about the flu

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