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Monday, February 5, 2018
Page #10
Texas History Minute August.
deaths are up sharply, but vaccinations are still available and More than 4,500 people died in still the best way to prevent Philadelphia in one week that infection. Information is widely autumn, with another 3,000 available from the Centers for perishing in Chicago. Many Disease Control (cdc.gov), the people died within twelve hours of Texas Department of State Health the first symptoms appearing. Services Some communities passed laws (http://dshs.texas.gov/flu/), and prohibiting spitting on the sidewalk in response to the epidemic as well as imposing strict curfews and shutting down schools and churches. In September, hundreds of cases suddenly appeared at Camp Dr. Ken Bridges Logan, just outside Houston. By October, Dallas leaders were Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, working with army officials to writer, and history professor. He quarantine troops at Camp Bowie outside Fort Worth. More than a can be reached at thousand cases had been reported drkenbridges@gmail.com. in Dallas, with Parkland Hospital overflowing with flu patients. The Buckner Orphans’ Home in Dallas “I had a little bird/ It’s name was reported 200 cases. Cities worked Enza/ I opened a window/ And in- quickly to try to contain the flu-enza.” It was a bizarre rhyme epidemic with a variety of repeated by children as a game all quarantines. over the country in late 1918 and into 1919. In an apocalyptic time El Paso reported 131 deaths in one of warfare, terror, and famine, now week in October. Camp came the pestilence. The Spanish MacArthur, near Waco, was hit Flu outbreak became the worst hard, with more than 900 cases. epidemic in history, with an More than 200 soldiers died. estimated 50 million dead Nearly 500 civilians died in Waco worldwide, including more than itself. Schools, churches, and 500,000 Americans. Texas would theaters closed across the state. not be spared this disease as thousands were infected. Local doctors and county health boards attempted to educate the Influenza has haunted humanity for public as quickly as possible about centuries. The famed Greek flu prevention and possible physician Hippocrates observed it treatments. San Antonio around 400 BC. By the early ultimately reported more than 1700s, Italian doctors were 12,300 cases with nearly 900 referring to it as “influenza di deaths though there were likely freddo,” or “influence of the cold” tens of thousands of other cases as they did not quite understand the that went unreported. More than causes of the flu (which can be 800 died in Dallas. Estimates put contracted in warm weather as the death toll at more than 20,000 well). Symptoms of flu arrive in Texas, including 1,800 troops. sharply about four days after the initial infection. Symptoms The first flu vaccine was approved include high fever, headache, for use in the United States in muscle aches, and fatigue. 1945. Tamiflu and zanamavir Symptoms can be very mild in were developed in the early 1990s some cases. Sneezing is rare and as effective treatments for flu coughs are more common with the patients. By the time the Spanish flu, the opposite of the common Flu reappeared in 2009, referred to cold. Flu patients can develop as “swine flu” or type H1N1, mass bronchitis and pneumonia. vaccinations and effective public health campaigns prevented a Where the 1918-19 pandemic came repeat of the 1919 disaster. from has been a subject of some contention, though many The first flu vaccine was approved pathologists have concluded it for use in the United States in originated in Asia. It came to be 1945. Tamiflu and zanamavir called the Spanish Flu when were developed in the early 1990s Spanish King Alfonso XIII as effective treatments for flu contracted it in 1918, and absent patients. By the time the Spanish any wartime censorship there, his Flu reappeared in 2009, referred to condition was followed by as “swine flu” or type H1N1, mass newspapers everywhere. As World vaccinations and effective public War I raged, soldiers in close-knit health campaigns prevented a camps contracted the sickness and repeat of the 1919 disaster. quickly spread it from one unit to another and then to their home Flu outbreaks occur each year, countries as troops went home. usually from September through Because of the incubation period, April, typically peaking in patients never knew they were February. More than two infected until symptoms appeared thousand different strains exist, several days later. And by then, and scientists attempt to adjust the they had infected many others. annual flu shot to closely match the strains which seem to be the The first American appearance was most prevalent. at Fort Riley, Kansas, in March 1918. Soldiers suddenly started The 2017-18 flu outbreak of type showing up at the infirmary in H3N2 has created a much more large numbers, with more than 400 severe outbreak than in previous falling ill before midday. The first years but still far from the Spanish outbreak faded but came back that Flu outbreak. Hospitalizations and
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family doctors. Though the flu is a serious disease, it is treatable and preventable. The majority of patients recover within a few days. Panic is always the true enemy in an epidemic. And with any illness, awareness and quick action mark the beginning of a cure.
