Influenza Books

In the five recognized wars that the United States fought in the twentieth century (WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf) the country suffered some 440,000 killed in action. In 1918, 675,000 Americans died of the flu. In all, the flu killed some 50,000,000 peopleapproximately the same number killed in World War II (no one knows exactly how many in either the flu or WW II).

In 1918 the medical profession was confident that they understood how disease was spread. In 1878 Louis Pasteur had published his breakthrough book "Germ Theory and Its Applications to Medicine and Surgery." (Note that the publication date is well after the American Civil War where the doctors knew nothing about germs. This book is available free from www.books-on-line.com.) While this was not immediately accepted by the medical profession, by 1918 it was understood, accepted and tought in medical school.

Unfortunately flu is not caused by germs but a virus, and in 1918 they knew nothing of viruses. And it wasn't until World War II that penicillin, the first effective anti-bacterial was discovered. While this wouldn't have stopped a virus, it is likely that it would have stopped the pneumonia that followed the virus and was the actual killer of most people.

Can it happen again? Yes! AIDS infects about 36 million people and is now killing them at about a million people a year. And both of these numbers are increasing.

This is a powerful book that covers an area of history that it seems was almost deliberately covered up by the Government, the media, and the historians. Highly recommended.

In this book, Dr.Sahelian and Ms.Toews advocate the use of Vitamin C, Echinacia, and Zinc Losenges as well as other vitamin supplements and herbal supplements to boost an individual's immune system to fight off the common cold or flu. If a simple course of the first three referenced items are used at the first symptoms of a cold, and are used several times a day, and for a couple of days thereafter, a common cold can be eradicated most quickly! I've tried Dr.Sahelian's formula and it works! If the cold cure formula is used in the later stages of a cold or flu, symptoms can be dramatically reduced!

This book is written in a very easy to read and use format. Much scientific evidence is provided to back up Dr.Sahelian's and Ms.Toews' claims. In addition, the authors provide a review of herbs used to boost the human immune system and other helpful advice on boosting one's immune system to fight off colds!

A must read for anyone with children who always bring home colds and viruses, or anyone with a compromised immune system. Actually this book could help anyone in fighting the common cold and flu! Nobody likes being sick and losing precious time to nursing a rotton cold! This book with its advice can help!

Flu: Alternative Treatments And Prevention (Proven Strategies To Protect Yourself And Your Family) by Randall Neustaedter is a little pocketbook offering a complete and thorough understanding of the influenza virus and how to avoid contracting it. As every winter provides reasonable outbreak of the flu, Flu offers readers an understanding of how influenza attacks the body and why it can be deadly, the truth of flu vaccines, effective alternative therapies, and how to prevent or manage the flu at home or with homeopathy, herbs and diet. Now that we are facing "Bird Flue", Randall Neustaedter's Flu is especially timely and highly recommended for all readers concerned with the health of themselves and their family for its comprehensive and complete coverage of exactly what is necessary to in the whole process of flue prevention and treatment.

This is an excellent review of the events that occurred during the spring and fall of 1918 and the subsequent efforts to find out how and why the flu was so devastating. 280 out of every 1000 people got the flu and 40% of those died. A frightening number but if that number is compared to Autism it would be 16.8 of 150 (died of the virus) where Autism would be 1 of 150 (children having the condition). An unfair comparison but the numbers give a modern day perspective on the Flu.
On the whole, a great documentation of history and a limited view of what to expect with the next flu pandemic, which if the 11 year cycle is accurate, will happen in 2012.

Grandma's Trunk is a beautifully crafted story which entertains and educates. It is drawn from love letters written by a young doctor to his sweetheart while they were separated by the events leading up to WWI. The book provides a vivid account of life in the early Twentieth Century. It introduces the reader to a dynamic woman and the influence she had on her family. But, the book is more. As she writes the book, the author makes a discovery about herself. Her journey to forgiveness makes this book extraordinary.

In late 1918, World War I is winding down, but America's major cities, like Boston and Philadelphia, are being decimated by Spanish Flu.

The disease hasn't yet reached Columbia, Maryland, where Dr. Alan Keener, fresh out of medical school, treats a young mother named Sarah. She is feeling sick and feverish, classic flu symptoms, for which she is told to go home and rest. Sarah is found dead the next day, her lungs full of fluid.

The local authorities are reluctant to declare a health emergency over one death. They become convinced after the local death toll starts climbing, fast. All indoor gatherings are banned. Church services are moved outside. The local bars and taverns are forcibly closed. People start acting justifiably paranoid, afraid to leave their houses unless absolutely necessary. It becomes personal for Alan when his 5-year-old becomes one of the fatalities, and his wife almost joins her.

A traveling snake-oil salesman gets the flu, and during his flu-induced delirium, he believes that he is visited by an Angel of God. Mankind is being tested; he has been given the name of Kolas, and told to spread the disease as much as possible. Those who don't die are the new Chosen of God. After nearly infecting Alan, Kolas is captured by the police, where he is "encouraged" to give up several samples of blood to be made into a vaccine. It helps to return things back to something approaching normal.

This is a very good, and very easy to read, novel about a famous, yet unknown, bit of 20th Century American history. While reading this book, in your mind, replace all mentions of "Spanish Flu" with "bird flu." Hmmm. . .

As with all Congressional Research Service reports, this one is available for free by writing to your senator or representative.

Although I'm all for capitalism, you should probably be aware of the fact that this article (as with all published articles in Environmental Health Perspectives) is open access--meaning anyone has free access to it. All you need to do is go to their web site (Google:'EHP Tamiflu' and it should be the first hit).

Expensive but informative. The only recent "survey" of 1918 flu issues I am aware of. Fascinating reading!!

The Great War is drawing to a close when the influenza epidemic of 1918 takes its hold. Set in London during a three week period, this novel conveys the horror of the war and, with the end of the war almost within reach, the emergence of the deadly influenza pandemic which killed millions around the world.

At the same time as conventional society is crumbling through the combined impacts of war and influenza, class distinctions remain important. Henry Speake, the undertaker, is the central character in this novel. His friendship with a widow, Mrs Allen Thompson, causes them both considerable social grief because of class differences.

This is not a light read but, once started, I found it very hard to put down. This is Ms James's first novel, and it is beautifully presented. Amongst the pain and suffering are some wonderful examples of humanity and the glimmerings of hope for a better future.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith