“Destroyer and Teacher”: Managing the Masses During the 1918–1919 Influenza Pandemic
"Recent historical work suggests that the early and sustained imposition of gathering bans, school closures, and other social-distancing measures [e.g. face masks] significantly reduced mortality rates during the 1918–1919 epidemics. This finding makes it all the more important to understand the sources of resistance to such measures, especially since social-distancing measures remain a vital tool in managing the current H1N1 influenza pandemic. To that end, this historical analysis revisits the public health lessons learned during the 1918–1919 pandemic and reflects on their relevance for the present."
