Medical Information and the Flu Pandemic of 1918

Are we a culture of fear? there's lot's of buzz today over the growing swine flu outbreak - so much for local worry over the copepods and rotifers here in Hartford's public water supply! Great that friends overseas are actively concerned, we are all in this together. I'm reminded of Alfred Cosby's highly acclaimed book, "America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918," which among other things noted that ignorance and limited medical information and knowledge of public health practices accelerated transmission of the flu (and pneumonia), while news of the disease and precautionary measures took a back seat, censored and suppressed in favor of military communication and updates during World War I. stay tuned for more onthis and for the best late-breaking news check out EBM and Clinical Support Librarians @ UCHC