Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

SleeplessinSoCal

(9,120 posts)
Fri Feb 4, 2022, 06:01 PM Feb 2022

Lesson from 1918 re: mask wearing.

675,000 Americans died of Spanish flu. We're nearing 900,000 American deaths with Covid-19.

Was it the same stubborn/libertarian/anti-government streak? Are we less healthy than 100 years ago? The result of conspiracy theories overriding science? Or something else?

Maybe we should have thrown certain anti-science types into a for profit prison...

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Lesson from 1918 re: mask wearing. (Original Post) SleeplessinSoCal Feb 2022 OP
Actually we are doing better than 1918..the population was 1/3 of what is now. pidge Feb 2022 #1
Then again dpibel Feb 2022 #2
Can you imagine what the death toll would look like Mariana Feb 2022 #3
K/R appalachiablue Feb 2022 #4
Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2022 #5
Enjoy your stay! nt BlackSkimmer Feb 2022 #7
Do you think he/she will last 10 minutes? phylny Feb 2022 #9
Lol, guess we got our answer! BlackSkimmer Feb 2022 #11
Someone needs to contact MIRT. BlackSkimmer Feb 2022 #6
I alerted. phylny Feb 2022 #8
Amazing, ain't it? BlackSkimmer Feb 2022 #10
MIRT can spot them when they first post, certainly spotted this one, but it's always good to alert Rhiannon12866 Feb 2022 #13
They had anti-vaxxers in the 1918 pandemic and in the 1790 pandemic. Initech Feb 2022 #12

dpibel

(2,831 posts)
2. Then again
Fri Feb 4, 2022, 08:39 PM
Feb 2022

In 1918 there were no antivirals, no ventilators--very little of what we consider modern medicine.

So, sure. On a pure numbers comparison, the current pandemic isn't as deadly.

But I'm not sure that's the precisely correct comparison.

Mariana

(14,857 posts)
3. Can you imagine what the death toll would look like
Fri Feb 4, 2022, 08:40 PM
Feb 2022

if we had 1918 medical knowledge and technology?

Response to SleeplessinSoCal (Original post)

Initech

(100,076 posts)
12. They had anti-vaxxers in the 1918 pandemic and in the 1790 pandemic.
Fri Feb 4, 2022, 09:03 PM
Feb 2022

But I'm sure nowhere near the level of stupid that we have now. The propaganda circulating on social media is quite insane.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Lesson from 1918 re: mask...