We hope this quiz didn't make you sneeze.

Amazing what people leave out of history books, isn't it? Most people today probably haven't heard of this pandemic. Instead, history teachers drone on and on about politics. Now, don't get us wrong, we're sure politics may be important, to somebody. But this was a major health crisis. How much did you know about it?

Here are the answers for you.

True or false?

1. The Spanish influenza was so-named because people blamed it on Spanish germ warfare. False. The outbreak was first reported in a Barcelona newspaper.
2. The 'flu had nothing to do with the war. False. It had everything to do with the war. The virus incubated in those overcrowded, corpse-filled trenches. Mass murder is bad for public health.
3. Americans caught the 'flu from returning soldiers. True.
4. The 'flu killed more people than the Great War. True. About 50 million died.
5. This disease was bacteriological in origin. False. It was a virus, and hard to treat.
6. The 'flu killed more people than the Black Plague. True. The Spanish Influenza was the deadliest plague in history.
7. The 'flu killed slowly. False. Many victims died within hours.
8. Because of the 'flu, U.S. life expectancy dropped by 12 years. True. The pandemic affected 25% of the population.
9. The 'flu never hit the Arctic. False. It was even found in Alaska.
10. Young people were immune to the 'flu. False. Young people were especially hard hit.

Just think: we worry about these things today, just as our great-grandparents did. And at least, we have better weapons to fight epidemics with. Back then, they had barely learned what a germ was. But while we're spending the next four years bragging on the glorious fighters and intrepid leaders of World War I, let's keep in mind what war brings with it: death, heartbreak, and disease. What's it good for? Nothing.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

28.07.14 Front Page

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