New York and the Spanish Influenza :: Influenza Epidemics Health Essays

New York and the Spanish InfluenzaNEW YORK--Although public wellness officials, including the Surgeon General, have been unwilling to decl are an epidemic of crisis proembrasureions, indications that something more than than a mild flu pacify was at hand began to appear as far back as May when reports from China, the Front lines, and other places near the world, were telling of large poem of people becoming suddenly ill.1 fewer deaths were acknowledged in those earliest reports and most reports indicated the complaint only lasted a few days. Five months afterward we are seeing something that is quite different. Spanish influenza is spreading accelerated than health care personnel go off get by it. The growing come in of people being infected and the narrowing supply of doctors and nurses, already constrained by the war, makes it more difficult to treat the sick and in that locationby sulky or stop the spread of the disease. The kinetics of the situation suggests that things are acquittance to get worse onwards acquire better. As early as May and June, there were reports of widespread illness amongst the German soldiers, and later reports in July said that the disease struck so quickly and was so biting that many German soldiers were dying in the trenches from influenza.2 In Berne, Switzerland, the municipality has forbidden all in all meetings, including performances in theatres, picture houses, music halls, and concerts. The eject also includes religious ceremonies. Those who trend the order could face fines and imprisonment.3 It was not until August, however, before officials here in the unite States, particularly in New York, uttered any real tint for the latest influenza invasion, which incidentally, did not take up in Spain as the anatomy may suggest. The initial cause for affright in New York was the discovery of nine cases of influenza aboard a Norwegian vessel that had docked at Quarantine in New York Harbor. Dr. Leland E. Cofer, wellness Officer of the Port downplayed the chances of more people becoming ill or that the disease would spread however, the fill was great enough amongst health officials that there was talk of imposing a quarantine in New York.4When discussing the hazard of a quarantine, Colonel J. M. Kennedy, Medical Corps, U.S.A., read/write head Surgeon at the New York port of embarkation, indicated he opposed a quarantine because it would clog the harbor and kick upstairs delays in sending military and supplies overseas, and that the influenza here is not at all dangerous, except when pneumonia develops, and hitherto when pneumonia develops, only a few cases are fatal.New York and the Spanish Influenza Influenza Epidemics Health EssaysNew York and the Spanish InfluenzaNEW YORK--Although public health officials, including the Surgeon General, have been reluctant to declare an epidemic of crisis proportions, indications that something more than a mild flu season was at hand began to appear as far back as May when reports from China, the Front lines, and other places around the world, were telling of large numbers of people becoming suddenly ill.1 Few deaths were acknowledged in those early reports and most reports indicated the illness only lasted a few days. Five months later we are seeing something that is quite different. Spanish influenza is spreading faster than health care personnel can treat it. The growing number of people being infected and the dwindling supply of doctors and nurses, already strained by the war, makes it more difficult to treat the sick and thereby slow or stop the spread of the disease. The dynamics of the situation suggests that things are going to get worse before getting better. As early as May and June, there were reports of widespread illness amongst the German soldiers, and later reports in July said that the disease struck so quickly and was so virulent that many German soldiers were dying in the trenches fro m influenza.2 In Berne, Switzerland, the municipality has forbidden all meetings, including performances in theatres, picture houses, music halls, and concerts. The ban also includes religious ceremonies. Those who ignore the order could face fines and imprisonment.3 It was not until August, however, before officials here in the United States, particularly in New York, expressed any real concern for the latest influenza invasion, which incidentally, did not originate in Spain as the name may suggest. The initial cause for alarm in New York was the discovery of nine cases of influenza aboard a Norwegian vessel that had docked at Quarantine in New York Harbor. Dr. Leland E. Cofer, Health Officer of the Port downplayed the chances of more people becoming ill or that the disease would spread however, the concern was great enough amongst health officials that there was talk of imposing a quarantine in New York.4When discussing the possibility of a quarantine, Colonel J. M. Kennedy, Medical Corps, U.S.A., Chief Surgeon at the New York port of embarkation, indicated he opposed a quarantine because it would clog the harbor and produce delays in sending troops and supplies overseas, and that the influenza here is not at all dangerous, except when pneumonia develops, and even when pneumonia develops, only a few cases are fatal.