Influenza Pandemic of the 1920s
Dr. D.A. Richardson's report describes the devastating impact of the flu epidemic that swept across the United States in 1918, particularly on indigenous communities. The flu outbreak in 1918 was one of the deadliest pandemics in history, infecting an estimated 500 million people and causing the deaths of at least 50 million people.
The beginning of the Flu is prostration, with headache, coryza, more of less running of the nose, but is marked by great prostration, the patients in the case of Indians literally falling to the floor. You would enter a placito and find all the inmates reclining . . . with hard, racking cough . . . the temperature ranging from 102 to 105.
Dr. D.A. Richardson, "Influenza Epidemic at Pueblos of Albuquerque Day School Section," December 20, 1918
Question 1
Identify one reason the disease described in the excerpt caused such severe symptoms.
Question 2
Explain one way that the disease described in the excerpt was able to spread so rapidly around the world.
Question 3
Explain one way that the disease described in the excerpt affected a group of people other than those described in the excerpt.
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