Martin Novák

Spanish Influenza in the Wyoming Valley Martin Novák

Many books have been written about the pandemic Spanish Influenza of 1918 - 1919, and certainly many have yet to be written. This book is not about the epidemiology of influenza, the biology of the disease, nor a medical explanation of it. Rather, this book is about how it affected people, and specifically the people of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania. One also needs to bear in mind that the story of Spanish Influenza took place while the world was at war. It is in that context that many decisions would be made, having disastrous consequences with regard to the spread of influenza, the ability of local governments to cope with the pandemic, and the utter lack of acknowledgement that there was a pandemic - until it was far too late. Also, included in this book are vignettes of important events taking place in the United States during the pandemic. These events provide a framework and context for understanding of what life what like one hundred years ago. Finally, this book should give the reader an understanding of the personal tragedies that played out almost daily for Spanish Influenza's victims and its survivors.