The Influenza Epidemic of 1918

Edward P. Ray and Jane Amanda Ray

Edward died from influenza in December, 1918

Below are Some Pictures, etc of People during the 1918 Flu Epidemic

Source: National Archives at College Park, MD website

Genealogists research death records to see if family names can be found. While doing this, I found so many deaths from the Spanish Flu or just influenza in 1918. I thought that must have been a really bad flu year.

All of those deaths and the fact my great-grandfather died from influenza and complications in 1918 peaked by curiousity. Of course, I had to go on the internet and see what I could find about the flu in 1918.

I found an informative article and pictures on this website: www.archives.gov/exhibits/influenza-epidemic/ . It stated that the flu epidemic killed an estimated 50 million people in 1918. The article relates that the first phase of the epidemic came in the late spring of 1918. It was known as the "three-day fever." The first phase didn't kill many people and most recovered in a few days. When the flu came back in the fall, people got desperately sick. Some died within hours of their first symptoms and others died after a few days when their lungs filled with fluid and they suffocated to death.

Today's modern medicine and vaccines seem to make epidemics like this seem far away and a thing of the past. But we all know that with the right "bug" appearing, an epidemic like this could happen again. The thought of that happening is really scary. Let's pray that our scientists will stay a step ahead in their research - preventing and curing the flu.