Influenza's Greatest Hits - Asian Flu - 1957
(in 1957 it did get a little out of hand - but with good reason)
Since radio wasn't around in 1919 when the worst outbreak of influenza hit, I thought I might as well go for the next best thing and dig out a documentary produced in September 1957, when the infamous Asian Flu was at its peak. The two worst influenza outbreaks I remember were the Asian Flu of '57 and the Hong Kong flu of 1968. Both were rotten and both had achieved pandemic proportions. So hearing about this latest Swine Flu outbreak got me thinking just how far we haven't come in the area of detection and prevention of life threatening diseases. But also, what a change it's been from the last 8 years where a potential disaster was ignored until it achieved it's own level of horror.
So have a listen and take notes, you may need them in the coming weeks.
Gov. Rick Perry has asked for 37,430 courses of anti-viral medicine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of the swine flu outbreak.
Panic panic panic! The media can't contain themselves over this one, can they? The truth is that an almost infinitesimally tiny portion of the population is catching this, most are recovering nicely, it isn't any more serious than any other flu, and there is no reason to make a big deal out of it EXCEPT THAT the Government is sitting on 50 million doses of Tamiflu they got with a NO-BID Contract to Donald Rumsfeld's old company after scaring the pants off everybody over "bird flu", and this stuff has a SHELF-LIFE! If they can't peddle it to a panic-stricken public they will have to throw it away! FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Maybe 'we' can appoint a czar and declare "the war on micro-organisms."
far left loon >.<
There are too many micro-organisms in the gut ... and you know how they are about always going with the gut feel ...
(sorry Colbert links nearby)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeVYZ0Sp0F0
Sorry
We, in Toronto, have had scare enough (with SARS in 2003), to hopefully, learn...and I do believe that we have.
Our city suffered with the greatest toll, that of the people. We also felt the ramifications, as a city, for a long time afterward.
I don't think, with the swine flue, there is reason enough to perpetuate widespread fear...as apparently, this is quite treatable, and measures are being taken to try & contain the spread.
However, we must learn that with this extremely mobile world society, that prudence & common sense should be given the upper hand.
Much safer to err on the side of caution, in my opinion.
but I just watched the entire episode of Hannity. I had to see if I could do it. My. God. I can't believe people watch this all the time. I'm speechless.
Seriously, that's like riding without a helmet.
BOT, I had the russian flu in I think around '77. I almost ended up in the ER, and I was 23!
"Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming." - Christopher Cooper
It amazes me that I can categorically disagree with absolutely everything ever broadcast on Fox. Generally I can glean some information from most sources, even ones I don't like. Never Fox though.
far left loon >.<
I think for people to dismiss this as fearmongering or hysteria is a mistake.
I think Mexico did a great job calling this out.
Better safe than sorry. That's the way I see it anyway.
This flu is in Israel, Scotland, Canada, the US, Mexico and New Zealand so far.
That tells me that it was spread through the airports.
Apparently it started in the Yucatan peninsula.
Yes the media has hyped this way out of proportion.
It's the media. They do that with everything. They need to sensationalize the news to keep up their ratings.
That much is true. But this is a serious situation.
If the current admin failed to look at this in a very serious way. They'd be called out for not doing enough.
Me? I'm staying away from big crowds for awhile.
But I do that anyway. So it's no skin off of my nose.
But to blow this off as hyperbole is a mistake. Just my opinion.
In 1918 the Spanish flu killed 50 million.
I realize that the medical advancements and communication makes this an almost impossibility. But with out the communication we have today. This could very well end up like 1918.
I think some people will flip out over this. That would be stupid.
But we need to keep a leary eye on this. Ignorance would be the worst thing anyone could do.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
I skipped the gym today. Probably more out of laziness but an excuse.
"Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming." - Christopher Cooper
I have nothing to add except to say radio WAS around in 1919. I don't think there were regular broadcasts being made in the US, but it most certainly wasn't just an idea.
There was a great documentary done for the show American Experience about the 1918 pandemic several years ago. It made me wonder just how we would react now to such a thing. I just hope it's not constant fear mongering. The one thing I recall clearly from that show was a jump rope song that was around at the time:
"I had a little bird
her name was Enza.
I opened up the window
and in flew Enza."
It didn't have the staying power of Ring Around the Rosie, but you get the idea.
I had the Asian flu in early 1958 when I was a college freshman, along with several of my classmates. I vaguely remember staying in the college infirmary that was crowded with students for about ten days and feeling really awful the first few days. At the time I didn't know it was pandemic, as university officials didn't believe in telling the students much of anything.
The US is far more populated now than then -- avoid crowds when possible and constantly wash your hands!
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