How To Curb An Outbreak

outbreak

Excerpted from Mental_Floss (Volume 5, Issue 3):

In 1918 and 1919, one-fifth of the world’s population contracted influenza, and nearly 50 million people died as a result. That’s more fatalities in a single year than the 14th-century Black Plague caused in four. Even scarier, at the time of the flu outbreak, public health officials the world over had to learn to combat the virus from scratch. You, however, have this handy list to help guide your local populace to good health.

What you will need:

1) Catchy Slogans

There’s no use coming up with preventive measures if the public doesn’t remember them. So, during the first year of the pandemic, officials started spreading safety tips via rhymes, which they slapped on posters and crammed into the heads of schoolchildren. To remind people to shut their windows, try: I had a little bird/ It’s name was Enza/ I opened the window/ and in-flu-Enza. Or encourage the use of protective face masks with: Obey the laws/ And wear the gauze/ Protect your jaws/ from septic paws.

2) Authoritarian Measures

If rhymes don’t work, jail time will. In December 1918, the American Public Health Association decreed that saloons, dance halls, and cinemas be closed during the pandemic. Cities across the nation agreed and levied hefty fines on businesses that didn’t comply. For a time, even public funerals were banned.

3) The Ability To Snort Stuff Up Your Nose

In 1918, doctors were just realizing that influenza was transmitted through the respiratory tract. And that nugget of knowledge gave them a great new idea–clean out your nose, and you’ll clear out the virus! Patients were encouraged to sniff or spray a variety of solutions up their schnozzes, including various combinations of carbolic acid, quinine, sodium bicarbonate, boric acid, and carbonated soda.

May 12, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Fun Food Facts, Health

Leave a Reply