In the face of the current pandemic, I thought it might be interesting to look back in time and see how the United States has handled disease outbreaks in the past. Upon doing some research, I found that the United States has not been a stranger to various outbreaks. The three epidemics I will go over are the polio epidemic, the diphtheria epidemic, and the notorious Spanish flu, in that order.
Polio:
Polio is a virus that affects the nervous system, often causing paralysis. It spreads through direct contact with the infected. The U.S. first experienced a smaller polio epidemic in Vermont during 1894, causing 18 deaths and 132 cases of permanent paralysis. The most major polio epidemic occurred in 1916 and lasted until 1955. At its peak in 1952, polio claimed the lives of 3,145 people. Altogether, 57,628 people were infected according to reported cases. Though it often affected young children, it could also affect full-grown adults. One notable adult victim was the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D Roosevelt, who contracted the disease at 39 years old. Fortunately, a vaccine was developed in 1955 by Dr. Jonas Salk, dropping the average number of cases to 910 by 1965. After the development of the vaccine, Congress put into place the Polio Vaccination Assistance Act, and as of 1979, the CDC has declared the United States polio-free.
Diphtheria:
Another childhood-associated disease is diphtheria. Syria is a bacterial infection that causes victims to develop a sore throat, fever, cough, and gray mucus on their nasal tissues and tonsils. It occurred from 1921 to 1925, with 206,000 cases and 15,520 deaths at its peak during its start. Once again, a vaccine was quickly developed, causing infection rates to rapidly decline in the U.S. Though it has not been completely eradicated in the United States it is very difficult to contract and most people have been vaccinated against the disease.
Spanish Flu:
One of the most infamous and deadly pandemics that the world has faced thus far was the influenza endemic, also known as the Spanish Flu. It began to spread towards the end of World War I and was first identified by military personnel in the United States in the spring of 1918. soon, however, it would infect between ¼ and ⅓ of the world's population, 500 million people. Worldwide, it claimed the lives of 50 million people, 675,000 from the US. Out a vaccine for a cure in sight, most states resorted to implementing a ban on public gatherings, shutting down schools, theaters, and other places of amusement, and many healthcare professionals and civilians took to wearing masks.
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