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2021 | Buch

Introduction Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

The Spanish Flu in Ireland

A Socio-Economic Shock to Ireland, 1918–1919

verfasst von: Patricia Marsh

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buchreihe : Palgrave Studies in Economic History

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This book examines the Irish experience of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic through a detailed study of the disease in the most industrialised region of the country, the province of Ulster. By exploring the different themes of dispersion of the disease; mortality; gender; medical response and politics - and through case studies of different towns in the province of Ulster - it builds up a picture of the social, economic and political impact of influenza in Ireland. The Ulster experience of the pandemic is examined by constructing micro-histories of industrial cities and towns, along with provincial market towns and a naval port, to provide a basis for comparison of the differing approaches taken to combat the influenza outbreaks throughout Ulster. Contemporary opinion was that Ireland was considerably less affected by the war than the rest of the UK but, this book shows that the war did have a significant influence on how the influenza pandemic impacted on the Irish population from an economic, social and medical point of view. The book also explores the immediate aftermath of the pandemic and how it influenced the Irish response to the influenza scare of 1920 and the viral pandemic of Encephalitis Lethargica which was prevalent for ten years after 1918, as well as discussing what if any lessons learnt from 1918 have been applied to the present-day outbreak of Covid 19.

This book will be of interest to academics in economic history, social history, Irish history and pandemic history, and those studying the effects of pandemics on the economy, health provision and pandemic preparedness.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Towards the end of World War I a devastating disease spread across the world. Commonly known as the ‘Spanish Influenza’, there is no doubt that it was the single worst natural demographic disaster of the twentieth century. The exact mortality figures are unknown and may never be known, but have been estimated to have been as high as 50 million worldwide. This chapter places the Irish experience of the 1918–1919 pandemic in context. Starting with the history of previous influenza epidemics leading up to 1918, it then moves on to influenza in Great Britain and thereafter explores the historical work on the pandemic in Ireland.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 2. ‘Ravages of Influenza’: The Human Cost of Influenza in Ireland
Abstract
This chapter examines two distinct aspects of the pandemic in Ireland, how and where did influenza enter Ireland? What was the human cost to the country? It explores theories about the origin of this global pandemic and considers how and where influenza entered Ireland as well as theories on factors contributing to the dispersal of the disease throughout the country. The global mortality figures are reviewed as well as the existing Irish figures. The Irish mortality figures are re-examined and it discusses why it is so difficult to be definitive about the number of fatalities that occurred during this influenza pandemic, and particularly so in the context of an Ireland at war. Finally mortality trends relating to age, location or occupation are examined and theories as to why the death rate in County Donegal was so high are discussed.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 3. ‘Woe unto Them That Are with Child’: Gender and Influenza
Abstract
This chapter considers the question: did gender play a part in one’s susceptibility to influenza? The role of women during the pandemic, as in many other areas, has gone unnoticed, but women played an important part in combating influenza. They were the main care givers within the home, looking after family members who contracted influenza and many worked in both a voluntary and professional level as nurses. They also stepped up to the mark by working in munitions and other factories during the war. As the title suggests, pregnant women were deemed to be at particular risk from influenza. Their susceptibility to the disease and subsequent mortality is explored. Female activity such as nursing along with one of the main areas of female employment in Ulster, factory work are also examined to ascertain if women were more at risk during 1918.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 4. ‘Mysterious Malady Spreading’: Newspaper Coverage of the 1918–19 Influenza Pandemic
Abstract
This chapter explores media coverage of influenza in both national and local newspapers. It has been argued that it was difficult to find traces of the pandemic from official sources in British archives and this too was the case in Ireland. Therefore, it has been essential to use newspaper reports to research the day-to-day effects of the pandemic in the country. This chapter illustrates - through the newspaper coverage - that the war impacted on the way in which influenza was reported in certain Irish newspapers, especially during the first wave. It shows how other contemporary political concerns were considered more newsworthy than the influenza outbreaks. Reasons for the pandemic’s subsequent exclusion from Irish history are presented along with consideration to the theory that the lack of contemporary newspaper coverage of the disease was a factor on why influenza has been forgotten in Irish history.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 5. ‘The Doctors Are Being Run off Their Feet’: Medical Response to Influenza in Ireland
Abstract
There was a lot of scepticism about influenza. Many questioned if it was in fact influenza and this opinion was not helped by the inability of the medical profession to find a cure or treatment. This chapter focuses on the medical response to influenza in Ireland. Starting with causes and symptoms of the 1918–19 pandemic. It moves on to a brief description of public health in Ireland. The reasons for the dearth of medical personnel in Ireland are discussed and the lack of sound medical knowledge on how to treat influenza is illustrated through the examination of suggested cures and advertisements - promising alleviation of the disease - published in the newspapers during this period.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 6. ‘A Serious Menace to the Public Health of the City’: Belfast and the Influenza Pandemic
Abstract
Belfast, situated in the north east coast of Ireland, was a port city and Ireland’s major industrial city. At this time Belfast bore more similarities to those industrial cities in northern Britain than to other parts of Ireland with an economy that was dominated by three industrial concerns: linen and textile manufacture; shipbuilding, and engineering. Influenza was rife in Belfast during the first and second waves and this chapter examines the medical and local authority response to the pandemic. In Belfast the combined forces of the corporation’s public health committee; public health department, and Medical Superintendent Officer of Health for Belfast Dr Hugh. W. Bailie were responsible for the production of an influenza policy for management of the pandemic in the city. This chapter will explore the effectiveness of their response during the pandemic.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 7. ‘Derry Catches Infection’: The Influenza Pandemic in Derry
Abstract
Londonderry situated in the north west of Ireland was a port and an industrial city, described during this period as the second city in Ulster. It specialised in the textile industry, especially the shirt-making industry. As in Belfast there were three waves of influenza in Londonderry, in summer 1918, autumn 1918 and spring 1919. The pandemic was largely ignored in the official Londonderry records. This chapter will explore the effectiveness of the medical and local authority response to the pandemic. It will discuss how the military occupation of the workhouse in Strabane as well as wards in the Londonderry union impacted on the medical response to the disease in the city.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 8. ‘Many Lurgan Workers Down’: Influenza in Lurgan and Portadown
Abstract
Lurgan and Portadown situated in County Armagh were industrial towns specialising in the linen and textile industry. After Belfast, Lurgan was reported to be the most industrial town in Ulster. Portadown is located six miles from Lurgan, and although these towns were in the same poor law union, they had different Medical Officers of Health. (MOH) The public health strategy of these urban areas would be guided by the MOH for that town. This chapter discusses the different ways in which the MOHs for Lurgan and Portadown responded to the pandemic.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 9. ‘No Room in the Fever Hospital for a Great Number of Influenza Patients’: Influenza in Larne and Ballyclare
Abstract
Larne was a market town and seaport in County Antrim, situated in the north-east of Ireland about 17 miles from Belfast. During this period it was a naval port as its location made it a particularly good anti-submarine base. It was situated in the Larne poor law union. Ballyclare, located approximately 11 miles south-west inland from Larne was a growing industrial town. It was situated in the Antrim poor law union district. Both towns had influenza outbreaks during the autumn of 1918. This chapter discusses how the local authorities in both towns responded in an organised and proactive way to prevent the spread of influenza despite receiving little or no guidance from the Local Government Board for Ireland.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 10. ‘An Enormous Amount of Distress Among the Poor’: Influenza in Newry, Cookstown and Clones
Abstract
It is apparent from the case studies that although the local authorities in Belfast, Londonderry, Lurgan, Portadown, Larne and Ballyclare all approached the pandemic with varying degrees of competence, none of them encouraged a charitable response to helping the poor in their districts. The public health committee in Manchester was aware of those in need in the city who required additional nursing, food or fuel to help and supplied the same as part of their response. In this chapter the public health and medical response of Newry, Cookstown and Clones are discussed but what sets these towns apart from those already examined is that their citizens responded to their neighbour’s plight in a philanthropic way.
Patricia Marsh
Chapter 11. Conclusion and Aftermath
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the aftermath of the 1918 pandemic. It examines what if any differences the pandemic made in Ireland in the short term by examining the reaction of the Local Government Board for Ireland to the next influenza scare that occurred in 1920. It also considers the response to the viral disease Encephalitis Lethargica, which was prevalent for ten years after the 1918 pandemic, and was considered by some to be a health complication of influenza. Finally, comparisons are made between the responses of local authorities and central government to the influenza pandemic in 1918–19 and those from the central government in the United Kingdom and Ireland to Covid-19, (arguably the most severe pandemic since 1918-1919). It discusses, what if, any lessons were learnt from 1918 and if they have been applied to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Patricia Marsh
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
The Spanish Flu in Ireland
verfasst von
Patricia Marsh
Copyright-Jahr
2021
Electronic ISBN
978-3-030-79500-9
Print ISBN
978-3-030-79499-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79500-9

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