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09/25/1918

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October 31, 1918

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12/09/1918

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12/12/1918

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"Although the worst of the epidemic is over, there will continue to be a large number of scattered cases, many of them mild and unrecognized, which will be danger spots to be guarded against."

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"Although the worst of the epidemic is over, there will continue to be a large number of scattered cases, many of them mild and unrecognized, which will be danger spots to be guarded against."

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Surgeon General Rupert Blue regularly updated the nation on the status of the influenza pandemic as it unfolded in the fall and winter months of 1918 into 1919. Updates included statistics, preventative measures, and possible problems that might arise in the months ahead.

On December 9th, 1918, the Johnson City Staff newspaper published one of Dr. Blue's updates. The second wave of influenza that surged from late September through early November across the nation--including east Tennessee--had subsided, but the next wave would emerge by the end of the year. The update published here emphasized monitoring local and regional numbers as national influenza cases were winding down while safeguarding against dangerous flu-related illnesses such as pneumonia which had already been spiking in numbers by December.

A sketch of a new informational poster was also included in the article. Dr. Blue indicated that the image would be more effective in educating the general public than a "dry, scientifically accurate bulletin" would have been. The image advised the general public to use proper sanitation methods to safeguard against the spread of illnesses that could be passed through "droplets."

There was a wealth of information on influenza that was available to the American public by December 1918, much of it new and changing. Many people began to use masks and proper sanitation methods to curtail the spread of influenza and related illnesses, while some did not. Many schools, churches, and other community gatherings had been postponed or cancelled and reopened, while others remained open or waited until flu cases emerged to take an action. People were urged to take action; people were told not to panic. In essence, press coverage and public response to pandemic in 1918 mirrored our own response in 2020 in a lot of ways.

As for influenza, it would continue to surge for several months. Even now it is hard to understand the pandemic's full impact because of the relating illnesses--pneumonia, bronchial infection--that stemmed from influenza but were sometimes not counted as flu-related cases. In December 1918, those very issues were already on America's radar.

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Audio/Video

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10/17/1918

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"This will keep away dangerous complications and will, at the same time, keep the patient from scattering the disease far and wide."

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"This will keep away dangerous complications and will, at the same time, keep the patient from scattering the disease far and wide."

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During the first two full weeks of October, a national press release offering information and suggestions about the rapidly spreading influenza outbreak in the United States ran in local papers including the Herald and Tribune and the Greeneville Daily Sun. The bulk of the press release consisted of an interview with Surgeon General Rupert Blue of the U.S. Public Health Service.

The interview contained information about the origins and nature of the disease, how to treat and identify symptoms, and how to prevent its spread. One of the quickest solutions for anyone exhibiting possible symptoms was isolation with the Surgeon General recommending that a nurse be the only contact with a patient.

While history never actually repeats itself, we should recognize the importance of identifying instances in the past that can translate to the present. By October of 1918 many local communities were being hit by the disease, and local press coverage routinely ran updates, stories, and articles about how to combat its spread. A common thread in preventing the spread of influenza was isolation and suspension of activities that would attract large gatherings of people. The outbreak of influenza in 1918 and the international response, including Jonesborough and the surrounding areas, provides a similar comparison to events today surrounding the emergence and reaction to the Covid-19 outbreak.

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