Community Chat

[GrailSeeker]

I read that the Spanish flu was an "A" type that jumped to humans from an animal, probably hogs.  Not sure how accurate the source of that was.  I did notice that it seemed to be hardest on young people. 

There are archived newspaper articles from a town in our county documenting with names who had died of the the Spanish flu, and how the Red Cross was delivering nourishing liquid meals to families too sick to cook for themselves. 

[Whosits]

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@Imaoldhippie wrote:

I saw a documentary  last week that  in the US the Spanish flu started on a farm in western Kansas.  The young man living on the farm joined the Army to fight in WWI.  He infected hundreds in base camp and it spread from there.  The soldiers took it to Europe.  The speaker said it should have been called the American Flu since it started here.

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that is the story I have always heard as well

[Bhvbum]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

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@Lipstickdiva wrote:

As an aside, I didn't realize until recently that the Spanish Flu didn't start in Spain either.   It began in China.  

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@Lipstickdiva, my research suggests that they really don't know the place of origin. There are at least three or four contenders.

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My grandfather died in 1918 of the Flu so it was a significant event to my family.  I've read articles through the years and two of the best were by National Geographic and Time and both said the best guess was China, that Chinese laborers were sick when they arrived in the UK to free up men for WW1.  The Virus made it's way back to China in 1919 where it was not that lethal and they think because they already had some immunity earlier from 1917.  

[Whosits]

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@Bhvbum wrote:

My grandfather died in 1918 of the flu epidemic at age 32.  It was always an important event in our family and everytime there has been one of these types of outbreaks, I have been over-focused on what is going on. 

I was stocking up in mid February for this very Pandemic because of our family history.

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You really didn't need to "stock up" as there would have been no shortages if people hadn't started "stocking up"  um excuse me, hoarding?

[ALRATIBA]

My grandmother's younger brother died during that epidemic.  He was a teenager and got into some trouble with his friends and was in a "reform school."

[GrailSeeker]

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@Whosits wrote:

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@Bhvbum wrote:

My grandfather died in 1918 of the flu epidemic at age 32.  It was always an important event in our family and everytime there has been one of these types of outbreaks, I have been over-focused on what is going on. 

I was stocking up in mid February for this very Pandemic because of our family history.

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You really didn't need to "stock up" as there would have been no shortages if people hadn't started "stocking up"  um excuse me, hoarding?

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As I recall, everyone was TOLD to stock up with 14 days supply of goods.  For a family of 4, that would be quite a bit of stuff if you take everything you need into account, in order to stay in for the durataion.   I habitually stock up for Winter in case of being snowed in and to maintain emergency supplies.  Stocking up early allowed me to find all that I needed and to avoid the bigger crowds who were late to paying attention to the news.

[meem120]

The Spanish Flu wasnt started in China.  It was started in Kansas, right here.  It was called the spanish flu eventually because Spain was the most affected.

[January121]

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@Lipstickdiva wrote:

As an aside, I didn't realize until recently that the Spanish Flu didn't start in Spain either.   It began in China.  

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@Lipstickdiva  .... WOW!!!!! .... the Chinese have been stabbing us in the back for a long, long time .... hopefully Karma comes to our aid so we can get even😉

[pitdakota]

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@Whosits wrote:

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@Bhvbum wrote:

My grandfather died in 1918 of the flu epidemic at age 32.  It was always an important event in our family and everytime there has been one of these types of outbreaks, I have been over-focused on what is going on. 

I was stocking up in mid February for this very Pandemic because of our family history.

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You really didn't need to "stock up" as there would have been no shortages if people hadn't started "stocking up"  um excuse me, hoarding?

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I think there is a big difference between stocking up and hoarding so I wouldn't accuse @Bhvbum of hoarding by any means.  She mentioned that due to the history of her family's experience that she started stocking up.  Nothing wrong with that, just being prepared.

People that live in areas that hurricanes occur routinely stock up and prepare for the start of hurricane season.  Others that live in other areas with bad weather tend to stock up so they don't have to go out as often.  That is not hoarding, that is being prepared.  

[pitdakota]

@Marp, it does make it seem not so distant when we start to think about our grandparents and great grandparents doesn't it.  Both sets of my grandparents went through this and came out ok.  No one contracted the disease so no one died.  Niether my father or mother were quite born yet, but they had older brothers and sisters that were little at the time.

Both sets of grandparents said what saved them was living on a farm in a rural area of the state.  They were very well aware even back then that this influenza spread where there were people in a more populated area.  

My grandfather used to say he didn't have to worry about catching it from his cows and it was a blessing to be so isolated on a farm back then.  Geez, who knew he knew about social distancing back in the day.  LOL!