When we look back, the era may seem picturesque and even attractive. In the Western world, for example, it was a time of horse-drawn carriages, top hats, and long, long skirts. But it was also a terrible moment when death was going on around the world. What was the cause?
It was not the war, although the war had reached its climax. No, we're talking about another scourge that has been called the most destructive in human history: the Spanish flu, or 1918-19 flu.
In this gripping narrative, Wesley Hulk traces the overlooked pandemic to reveal how the virus traveled across the globe, exposing mankind's vulnerability and putting our ingenuity to the test. As socially significant as both world wars, the Spanish flu dramatically disrupted and often permanently altered global politics, race relations, and family structures, while spurring innovation in medicine, religion, and the arts.
The victims died en masse as there was no effective treatment or cure. Millions of healthy adolescents were suddenly shot down during their most productive time in life. The bodies piled up faster than they could be buried. In some places, entire cities and villages have been wiped out.
All of this happened about one hundred years ago. Do we know what caused this disease? Could such an accident happen again? If so, could we protect ourselves?
These questions and more are addressed in this book.