Spanish Flu of 1918-1920

October 9, 1918, Menasha Record

By now, if you've been following the news, you might have heard about the so-called "Spanish" Flu of 1918.  In actuality, the disease remained active until the end of 1920.  But as with the current corona virus situation, control efforts were largely limited to non-medical treatments such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants, and limitations of public gatherings.  Sound familiar?  The above article even talks about wearing masks and gowns.  Though it falls short of recommending a six foot distance between people, it does suggest avoidance of crowds and covering up coughs and sneezes. We like to think medicine is more advanced now and we're smarter about such viruses, but there are lessons here from more than a hundred years ago which bear repeating today.  Be safe.