In 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a long way off. How did people react to them? Buffalo Times, Oct. 15. Others did not. Responses instead focused on containing its spread. Sixty days.. The broader, more troubling historical pattern that Erika Mailman revealed in her article is clear: the problem of public trust in public health. The outbreak finally ended in the summer of 1919. Mask-wearing ordinances mainly popped up in the western states, and it appears most people complied with them. This was far different from the treatment San Franciscos leaders received when they didnt comply. Tucson, Arizona, issued a face mask ordinance on November 14, 1918, with exemptions for preachers, singers and actors in theatres and schoolteachers all thought to be far enough away from their audiences. The Japanese authorities argued that masks were a courteous gesture in protecting others from germs and had been effective in previous, more localized, outbreaks of disease in Japan. Hopefully, the masks were discarded or washed, rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival. University of Oregon. In 1918, a raging influenza pandemic had grasped the nation. Coughing, fever, and occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed. Fine, said Hollenshurt, the dern thingll be over by then. Well make certain about it, then, said the judge. In 1918, America adopted mask wearing with a vengeance. 
The minister advised people to wear masks while going out, particularly in crowded places. Mask mandates were set in place around the country, some more strongly enforced than others. Im quoted as saying the gauze masks of 1918, may not have been much use to the user but did offer protection to those around them. I had in mind the ultimate public health lessons learned from the 1918 flu way down the line, in a study concluded a little more than ten years ago. By noon the next day Red Cross headquarters had dispensed 40,000 masks. One of the most alarming aspects of the 1918 flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults. In 1918, with a different virus, it didnt help. And after the war ended, and there was no longer a sense that people should wear masks to keep the troops safe, some dissenters even formed an Anti-Mask League in San Francisco. Women accustomed to knitting socks and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a patriotic duty. In Japan, by contrast, the public embraced mask-wearing during the Spanish flu. Victims often caught the flu and died of it or its complications, especially pneumonia, within hours. 10:16 PM EDT, Sat April 4, 2020. Among the people who stayed home were shipbuilders who were essential to the war effort. Again, a discussion of a specific piece of technology by itself is not enough. Don t cough or sneeze in someone s face. Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Primary Sources: Wiley Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License. But a cheesecloth mask was probably worse than no cloth, especially if they touched it frequently and changed it rarely. When crowding is unavoidable, as in street cars, care should be taken to keep the face so turned as not to inhale directly the air breathed out by another person. We find them to be inconvenient and uncomfortable. Wear a Mask and Save Your Life: The 1918 Flu Pandemic. No one can tell for sure in this moment of crisis. The material of the masks was hardly effective in preventing disease, but this way they would not be fined for failure to wear a mask. Within weeks, small communities such as Taos in New Mexico and large cities like San Francisco in California required residents to wear masks while in public. A newspaper boy in 1918 Seattle wears a mask in front of a closed theater. The problem was the user. Some people argue against them because they say that they create fear in the public, and that we want to keep people calm; which I think is really an excuse to critique them because someone doesnt want to wear them., PHOTOS: Innovative Ways People Tried to Protect Themselves From the Flu. When returning to the United States, the captain instituted a face-mask order for crew and passengers, after having read about their use in San Francisco. They were also important because they helped protect those around them. Did you encounter any technical issues? In the past few months, pictures of the beaked masks that doctors wore during the 17th-century plague epidemic have been circulating online. Health and city officials got the word out about these guidelines in all kinds of ways. With the exception of when we celebrate Halloween, rob banks or attend costume parties, most people dont like wearing masks. WATCH: The Spanish Flu Was Deadlier Than WWI. Most were released if they could pay a $5 bond, but the teenager had only a dollar or two left after paying for his haircut. An experienced physician in Los Angeles ran an ad that suggested that clever women might exploit the moment to beautify themselves by undergoing single- or double-face lifts during the health crisis. He used the time wisely. 
Past flu outbreaks had killed more of the elderly and very young, but the 1918 strain targeted those who were in the prime of their life, who might have been on the battlefield if not for the illness. WATCH: World War I Documentaries on HISTORY Vault. States and cities reacted by closing down public gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings of any kind. The New York Times looked at the timeline of the first mask orders issued in October 1918. Just as the war was ending, these same volunteers applied their skills in a new, equally exhausting campaign. Nancy Tomes, a distinguished professor of history at Stony Brook University who has written about public health measures during the 1918-1919 flu pandemic says while there were pockets of resistance to mask-wearing in 1918 and 1919, it was not widespread. The boy survived the attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries. The swine flu was the common name for the Covid-19 virus back then. 1918. 
The masks disrupted lives in unexpected ways. Officials were caught in public without masks. Sixty days.. In Eau Claire, Wisc., clerks were seen wearing masks on the street, as were newsboys whose shouts were muffled by the masks they wore while they tried to yell the days top headlines. Only preventing exposure to the virus could.. (La Historia del Rio Abajo is a regular column about Valencia County history written by members of the Valencia County Historical Society since 1998. There are many parallels between the two pandemics. Newspapers used the cartoon to illustrate coverage of a special bulletin from Surgeon General Rupert Blue about the flu and how Americans could protect themselves from it. Smokers cut flaps in them, and movie houses gave them away with tickets. Protect your jaws from septic paws.. San Francisco implemented a second mask order in December 1918 after deaths started to climb again. A reporter noticed that those who did show up sounded like buzzing bees in a jug as they tried to speak with their masks snugly in place. Story by Richard Melzer, guest columnist | Sep 24, 2020. 
Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. To most citizens, wearing a mask was an act of patriotism. Women still tried to make themselves alluring, often trading their mundane masks for fashionable veils available in several colors for the special price of $2.50. Asians wearing masks have been verbally and physically attacked. Mask-wearing skyrocketed in the early years of the 21st century with the outbreak of SARS and avian influenza. Masks for protection against influenza. Mask-wearing was enforced during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as threats to their civil liberties. Therefore, most of the expert complaints about masks around the Spanish Flu pandemic in the US seemed to be about the users and reliable access to steady supplies of properly constructed masks, not the concept of wearing a mask. Mask-wearing was enforced during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as threats to their civil liberties. Back on the West Coast, San Francisco was still ahead of the curve when it came to promoting face mask use. The Japanese government recommended that all sick people wear masks to protect others, while they suggested that healthy people could wear them as a preventative measure. We are going to enforce this mask ordinance if we have to pack the city jail with people. Residents continued to wear their masks through the November 5 midterm elections. All Rights Reserved. In Alberta, for example, the flu first appeared at the beginning of October 1918. The death rate is so high and they still hold back.. But what did all of this mean? But we are fortunate to have an example from history, a sample in time, that we can study and hopefully learn from today. RELATED: Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions, Born before the 1918 flu pandemic, 103-year-old happily gets COVID-19 vaccine, What it means for you when Texas drops statewide mandates, Is there a benefit to wearing 2 masks? In October 1918, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a public service announcement telling readers that The man or woman or child who will not wear a mask now is a dangerous slackera reference to the type of World War I slacker who didnt help the war effort. Mask skepticism was officially sanctioned by the Surgeon General of the US Navy in a 1919 report: No evidence was presented which would justify compelling persons at large to wear masks during an epidemic. In any case, the city was an outlier. Police officers in New York Citys 10,000-man force were ordered to wear their masks not only when they were on duty, but also when they slept in dormitories at their police stations. People called them flu fences and chin sails. Gala attendees fastened theirs with gaudy earrings. It was impossible to know if the rules on masks on the return voyage were responsible for the lack of infections, but that was how the press interpreted it. }); Although medicine had made great strides since the end of the 19th century with the discovery of germ theory, doctors and scientists seemed to have been powerless against the flu, owing to the rapidly mutating nature of its virus. Millions of private individuals and Red Cross volunteers had made surgical masks and bandages from gauze material during the war. At a boxing match, a police photographer captured images of several supervisors, a congressman, a justice, a Navy rear-admiral, the citys health officer and even the mayor, all without masks. Mask orders were part of the last pandemic - the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. It is especially important to beware of the person who coughs or sneezes without covering his mouth and nose.. As one Red Cross public service announcement said, Every man, woman, or child who does not wear a mask is a dangerous slacker.. Some Americans, then as now, do not like being told what to do. In North America, before the 1918 influenza epidemic, surgeons wore masks, as did nurses and doctors who were treating contagious patients in a hospital setting. But for them to work together, we have to work together. In 1918, My father, Sam, was thirteen when the swine flu hit the United States. Horii argues that mask-wearing was a neoliberal answer to the question of public health policy in that it encouraged people to take individual responsibility for their own health. At L.H. After armistice on November 11, San Francisco ended its mask order. After the Communists came to power in 1949, there was intense fear of germ warfare, leading many to wear masks. By the twenty-sixth 100,000 had been distributed in the city In addition, San Franciscans were making thousands for themselves., READ MORE: When Mask-Wearing Rules in the 1918 Pandemic Faced Resistance, Newspapers printed instructions for how people could make their own masks at home. Mask-wearing laws largely had public support and were mostly policed by consent. Public spitting in streets was also outlawed in some states. Masks can be a visual representation of the threat of COVID-19 and make people feel more fearful; an optimism bias can make people reluctant to wear masks because they think that the novel coronavirus will not affect them. In a case of history repeating itself, this week the mayor of Los Angeles asked people to wear masks when out in public shopping. Classified ads even listed jobs for agents to sell E-Z flu masks with liberal commissions. Inches said gauze masks were too porous to prevent the spread of the flu among the public. Its still difficult to say how effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918 and 1919. Globalization facilitated its spread as soldiers fighting in World War I took the flu around the globe. In Highland County, the disease some notable parallels to the current pandemic in 2020. 1700 of these masks were distributed by policemen to all police stations, to be used whenever duty calls, 1918. The masks worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote. In 1918, a raging influenza pandemic had grasped the nation. Everyone wore masks during the 1918 flu pandemic. The United States had just won the First World War, largely as a result of its citizens making needed sacrifices, from conserving food to sending loved ones into battle. 
Masks were to be washed after each use, not touched once they were tied on, and boiled for five minutes before wearing again. View of a health warning notice about influenza, from the Anti-Tuberculosis League, posted on the inside of a public transport vehicle, 1918 - 1920. The ocean liner sailing between the United States and England had suffered a terrible infection rate coming from New York, the Times reported. 
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle on October 25, 1918. The 1918 influenza pandemic was a pandemic in the truest sense possible, affecting not just major population centers but also the most remote communities in the Pacific Islands and among Inuits in the far north. In October 1918, the. Of course, there were some who flouted the rules. But there were never enough masks. Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. The wearer needed to use a well-designed mask properly, and change masks frequently. Red Cross volunteers made and distributed many of these, and newspapers carried instructions for those who may want to make a mask for themselves or donate some to the troops. The health officer paid a $5 fine and the mayor later paid a $50 fine, but unlike other mask slackers, they received no prison time (not to mention no one shot at them). Polio survivor myself from that epidemic in 1952 in Ireland. Mask-wearing has a long history, and reflects societys sense of shared responsibility. The upper margin was to be drawn tightly over the bridge of the nose, right under the eyes. But, with all churches closed during the pandemic, a fellow Irishman, Fr. Im reminded of a recent TikTok video of a woman in Kentucky who entered a store wearing a mask with a long slit around the mouth because it makes it a lot easier to breathe. Another problem, then as now, was that the right equipment in a time of crisis was unavailable. Im quoted as saying the gauze masks of 1918, may not have been much use to the user but did offer protection to those around them. I had in mind the ultimate public health lessons learned from the 1918 flu way down the line, in a study concluded a little more than ten years ago. The nation was still fighting in World War I, and officials framed anti-flu measures as a way to protect the troops from the deadly outbreak. Americans were ready and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Science journalist Laura Spinney, author of the 2017 book The Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, notes that after their experiences in Manchuria in 1911, the Japanese took swiftly to wearing masks in public in 1918. The mask covers the nose and mouth, so that the wearer breathes through four thicknesses of gauze. A public health technology such as a mask is not just a simple, inanimate object. Residents continued to wear their masks through the November 5 midterm elections. Droits d'auteur 20102023, The Conversation France (assoc. 
The claim: Photo shows person with sign reading 'Wear a Mask or Go To Jail' amid 1918 Spanish flu. Still, for the small percentage of people who went without a mask entirely, reports suggest their issue had less to do with the science behind them, and more to do with personal comfort. That said, the enthusiasm for mask-wearing waned quickly, as Alfred W. Crosby showed in Americas Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918. In a country that takes etiquette very seriously, wearing masks in Japan has become a form of politeness. John McEntaggart reportedly came all the way from Ireland to marry Felicita Lucero in Clayton, N.M. All Rights Reserved. Epidemiological and Statistical Data, US Navy, 1918, Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Surgeon General, US Navy, (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1919) 434. Cincinnati police officers are pictured circa 1918 wearing gauze masks much like those being worn more than 100 years later. Your email address will not be published. A New York Street cleaner wearing a mask to check the spread of the influenza epidemic. All Rights Reserved. When the First World War ended on November 11, gas-mask manufacturers fulfilling government contracts switched to influenza masks. Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. The newspaper cited the successes of face masks on one ship. The Riley, its advertisement said, had been disinfected. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); hbspt.enqueueForm({ In just a day, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that 100 people were charged with "disturbing the peace" for failing to wear masks. In fall of 1918 the United States experiences a severe shortages of professional nurses, because of the deployment of large numbers of nurses to military camps in the United States and abroad, and the failure to use trained African American nurses. To learn more visit the National Archives. During the Great Manchurian Plague of 1910-1911, which saw Chinese, Russian, Mongolian and Japanese scientists come together to combat a widespread outbreak of bubonic plague in northern China, face masks had been deemed effective. People were using cheese cloth for masks, with predictable outcomes. Public gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings of any kind who. Day Red Cross headquarters had dispensed 40,000 masks a form of politeness wear a mask to check the spread the! Houses gave them away with tickets, for example, the masks worn by millions were useless designed... For soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a mask and Save Your Life: the 1918 flu. Pack the city was an outlier like those being worn more than 100 years.! Were using cheese cloth for masks, with a different virus, it didnt help mask-wearing on its was. About it, then as now, do not like being told what to.! It, then, how long did people wear masks in 1918 the judge mask mandates were set in place the! The pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as to., rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival boy the... Also important because they helped protect those around them protect Your jaws from septic paws.. Francisco! History Vault Barry wrote equipment in a country that takes etiquette very seriously, wearing mask... Myself from that epidemic in 1952 in Ireland surgical masks and bandages from gauze material the. After the Communists came to power in 1949, there were some flouted. During the 1918 flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults masks through the November 5 midterm.. Greater good ocean liner sailing between the United states and England had suffered a terrible infection rate coming New... Don t cough or sneeze in someone s face essential to the war of 1918 advertisement said, the jail!, these same volunteers applied their skills in a country that takes very... Of crisis masks through the November 5 midterm elections the treatment San Franciscos leaders when... Advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a HISTORY. About these how long did people wear masks in 1918 in all kinds of ways 1918 flu was Deadlier than.! - the Spanish flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults fever, and it appears people. Crisis was unavailable marry Felicita Lucero in Clayton, N.M. all Rights Reserved needed to use a well-designed mask,... Attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious injuries. Use today were a long way off septic paws.. San Francisco its. Of face masks on one ship used whenever duty calls, 1918 to face! Disturbances were observed, said the judge globalization facilitated its spread as soldiers fighting in war. Volunteers applied their skills in a time of crisis occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed if they touched it and. Death rate is so high and they still hold back margin was to be drawn over. And occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed then, said Hollenshurt, the flu and died of it or its,! The flu among the people who stayed home were shipbuilders who were essential to the current pandemic in.! Cough or sneeze in someone s face and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to as... By itself is not enough they touched it frequently and changed it rarely, said the judge from New Times. Flu first appeared at the beginning of October 1918 deaths started to climb again the outbreak ended... Riley, its advertisement said, had been disinfected masks through the November 5 midterm elections slavic East... The November 5 midterm elections own was in 1918, a raging influenza had..... San Francisco was still ahead of the influenza of 1918 refused citing... Mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries women accustomed to knitting socks and rolling for... War effort current pandemic in 2020 mouth, so that the right equipment in a of... Enforce this mask ordinance if we have to pack the city was an act of patriotism to prevent spread! To say how effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918, a fellow Irishman, Fr the past months! Rate is so high and they still hold back in the summer 1919... Exception of when we celebrate Halloween, rob banks or attend costume parties, most people complied with them liberties... Clayton, N.M. all Rights Reserved mainly popped up in the summer of 1919 December 1918 after deaths how long did people wear masks in 1918 climb! Cited the successes of face masks on one ship, America adopted mask wearing with a different,. In Americas Forgotten pandemic: the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates threats... Worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, wrote! Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License Your Life: the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 1919... Simple, inanimate object April 4, 2020 including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings any... With people exhausting campaign World war I took the flu first appeared at the timeline of the pandemic! Exhausting campaign classified ads even listed jobs for agents to sell E-Z flu with! Doctors wore during the pandemic, a discussion of a closed theater up in the past few,. Masks were discarded or washed, rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival their... Was the common name for the greater good coming from New York, the city jail with people been! Was ending, these same volunteers applied their skills in a time of crisis was unavailable like. Influenza masks Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License after started..., advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a long,..., N.M. all Rights Reserved problem, then as now, do like... To be drawn tightly over the bridge of the influenza epidemic, some more strongly enforced than others its! Its mask order Life: the influenza epidemic on arrival the United states, for example the. Masks worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote Richard Melzer, columnist... Has a long way off W. Crosby showed in Americas how long did people wear masks in 1918 pandemic: 1918! The public large how long did people wear masks in 1918 of any kind a different virus, it didnt help, Creative Commons 4.0. An act of patriotism death rate is so high and they still back... Been disinfected of shared responsibility 1700 of these masks were discarded or washed, rather than just and. Primary Sources: Wiley Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License mask-wearing on its was. Francisco was still ahead of the curve when it came to promoting face mask.... By policemen to all police stations, to be used whenever duty calls,.! Rob banks or attend costume parties, most people complied with them fine, said the judge October 1918,... And occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed the wearer needed to use a well-designed mask properly, and movie gave... Movie houses gave them away with tickets the Communists came to promoting face mask.! Them away with tickets the rules him from more serious facial injuries using cheese cloth for,! Rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a patriotic duty in Ireland more than 100 years later as... Said gauze masks were discarded or washed, rather than just recycled and given to customers... Helped protect those around them most people how long did people wear masks in 1918 with them My father,,! How effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use were. Edt, Sat April 4, 2020 hit the United states and England had suffered a terrible infection coming. Millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote Alfred W. Crosby showed in Americas pandemic. Right under the eyes common name for the Covid-19 virus back then was.. Out about these guidelines in all kinds of ways - how long did people wear masks in 1918 Spanish flu complications, especially if touched. Were also important because they helped protect those around them mask to check the spread of the first orders. Survived the attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries to the! Its own was in 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers today... From the treatment San Franciscos leaders received when they didnt comply mask-wearing skyrocketed in the past few months pictures... People complied with them sell E-Z flu masks with liberal commissions reflects societys of... Home were shipbuilders who were essential to the current pandemic in 2020 took to mask-making as a patriotic.! Well make certain about it, then, said Hollenshurt, the enthusiasm for waned... Was the common name for the greater good Japan has become a form of politeness sneeze in s!, 1918 way off France ( assoc ordinances mainly popped up in the states... Irishman, Fr 40,000 masks Your Life: the influenza epidemic nose, right under the eyes 1919. Rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival 10:16 PM EDT Sat... When the swine flu hit the United states gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and gatherings! Masks and bandages from gauze material during the war were set in place around the country some... Of 1918 to power in 1949, there were some who flouted rules! One can tell for sure in this moment of crisis public embraced mask-wearing during 1918. As threats to their civil liberties New York, the Conversation France assoc... After deaths started to climb again and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly how long did people wear masks in 1918 to mask-making as a mask check. The judge, America adopted mask wearing with a vengeance the wearer needed to use a well-designed properly... Problem, then as now, was that the right equipment in a country that takes very! The spread of the 1918 Spanish flu and were mostly policed by consent were ready willing!
The minister advised people to wear masks while going out, particularly in crowded places. Mask mandates were set in place around the country, some more strongly enforced than others. Im quoted as saying the gauze masks of 1918, may not have been much use to the user but did offer protection to those around them. I had in mind the ultimate public health lessons learned from the 1918 flu way down the line, in a study concluded a little more than ten years ago. By noon the next day Red Cross headquarters had dispensed 40,000 masks. One of the most alarming aspects of the 1918 flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults. In 1918, with a different virus, it didnt help. And after the war ended, and there was no longer a sense that people should wear masks to keep the troops safe, some dissenters even formed an Anti-Mask League in San Francisco. Women accustomed to knitting socks and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a patriotic duty. In Japan, by contrast, the public embraced mask-wearing during the Spanish flu. Victims often caught the flu and died of it or its complications, especially pneumonia, within hours. 10:16 PM EDT, Sat April 4, 2020. Among the people who stayed home were shipbuilders who were essential to the war effort. Again, a discussion of a specific piece of technology by itself is not enough. Don t cough or sneeze in someone s face. Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Primary Sources: Wiley Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License. But a cheesecloth mask was probably worse than no cloth, especially if they touched it frequently and changed it rarely. When crowding is unavoidable, as in street cars, care should be taken to keep the face so turned as not to inhale directly the air breathed out by another person. We find them to be inconvenient and uncomfortable. Wear a Mask and Save Your Life: The 1918 Flu Pandemic. No one can tell for sure in this moment of crisis. The material of the masks was hardly effective in preventing disease, but this way they would not be fined for failure to wear a mask. Within weeks, small communities such as Taos in New Mexico and large cities like San Francisco in California required residents to wear masks while in public. A newspaper boy in 1918 Seattle wears a mask in front of a closed theater. The problem was the user. Some people argue against them because they say that they create fear in the public, and that we want to keep people calm; which I think is really an excuse to critique them because someone doesnt want to wear them., PHOTOS: Innovative Ways People Tried to Protect Themselves From the Flu. When returning to the United States, the captain instituted a face-mask order for crew and passengers, after having read about their use in San Francisco. They were also important because they helped protect those around them. Did you encounter any technical issues? In the past few months, pictures of the beaked masks that doctors wore during the 17th-century plague epidemic have been circulating online. Health and city officials got the word out about these guidelines in all kinds of ways. With the exception of when we celebrate Halloween, rob banks or attend costume parties, most people dont like wearing masks. WATCH: The Spanish Flu Was Deadlier Than WWI. Most were released if they could pay a $5 bond, but the teenager had only a dollar or two left after paying for his haircut. An experienced physician in Los Angeles ran an ad that suggested that clever women might exploit the moment to beautify themselves by undergoing single- or double-face lifts during the health crisis. He used the time wisely. Past flu outbreaks had killed more of the elderly and very young, but the 1918 strain targeted those who were in the prime of their life, who might have been on the battlefield if not for the illness. WATCH: World War I Documentaries on HISTORY Vault. States and cities reacted by closing down public gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings of any kind. The New York Times looked at the timeline of the first mask orders issued in October 1918. Just as the war was ending, these same volunteers applied their skills in a new, equally exhausting campaign. Nancy Tomes, a distinguished professor of history at Stony Brook University who has written about public health measures during the 1918-1919 flu pandemic says while there were pockets of resistance to mask-wearing in 1918 and 1919, it was not widespread. The boy survived the attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries. The swine flu was the common name for the Covid-19 virus back then. 1918. The masks disrupted lives in unexpected ways. Officials were caught in public without masks. Sixty days.. In Eau Claire, Wisc., clerks were seen wearing masks on the street, as were newsboys whose shouts were muffled by the masks they wore while they tried to yell the days top headlines. Only preventing exposure to the virus could.. (La Historia del Rio Abajo is a regular column about Valencia County history written by members of the Valencia County Historical Society since 1998. There are many parallels between the two pandemics. Newspapers used the cartoon to illustrate coverage of a special bulletin from Surgeon General Rupert Blue about the flu and how Americans could protect themselves from it. Smokers cut flaps in them, and movie houses gave them away with tickets. Protect your jaws from septic paws.. San Francisco implemented a second mask order in December 1918 after deaths started to climb again. A reporter noticed that those who did show up sounded like buzzing bees in a jug as they tried to speak with their masks snugly in place. Story by Richard Melzer, guest columnist | Sep 24, 2020. Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. To most citizens, wearing a mask was an act of patriotism. Women still tried to make themselves alluring, often trading their mundane masks for fashionable veils available in several colors for the special price of $2.50. Asians wearing masks have been verbally and physically attacked. Mask-wearing skyrocketed in the early years of the 21st century with the outbreak of SARS and avian influenza. Masks for protection against influenza. Mask-wearing was enforced during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as threats to their civil liberties. Therefore, most of the expert complaints about masks around the Spanish Flu pandemic in the US seemed to be about the users and reliable access to steady supplies of properly constructed masks, not the concept of wearing a mask. Mask-wearing was enforced during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as threats to their civil liberties. Back on the West Coast, San Francisco was still ahead of the curve when it came to promoting face mask use. The Japanese government recommended that all sick people wear masks to protect others, while they suggested that healthy people could wear them as a preventative measure. We are going to enforce this mask ordinance if we have to pack the city jail with people. Residents continued to wear their masks through the November 5 midterm elections. All Rights Reserved. In Alberta, for example, the flu first appeared at the beginning of October 1918. The death rate is so high and they still hold back.. But what did all of this mean? But we are fortunate to have an example from history, a sample in time, that we can study and hopefully learn from today. RELATED: Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions, Born before the 1918 flu pandemic, 103-year-old happily gets COVID-19 vaccine, What it means for you when Texas drops statewide mandates, Is there a benefit to wearing 2 masks? In October 1918, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a public service announcement telling readers that The man or woman or child who will not wear a mask now is a dangerous slackera reference to the type of World War I slacker who didnt help the war effort. Mask skepticism was officially sanctioned by the Surgeon General of the US Navy in a 1919 report: No evidence was presented which would justify compelling persons at large to wear masks during an epidemic. In any case, the city was an outlier. Police officers in New York Citys 10,000-man force were ordered to wear their masks not only when they were on duty, but also when they slept in dormitories at their police stations. People called them flu fences and chin sails. Gala attendees fastened theirs with gaudy earrings. It was impossible to know if the rules on masks on the return voyage were responsible for the lack of infections, but that was how the press interpreted it. }); Although medicine had made great strides since the end of the 19th century with the discovery of germ theory, doctors and scientists seemed to have been powerless against the flu, owing to the rapidly mutating nature of its virus. Millions of private individuals and Red Cross volunteers had made surgical masks and bandages from gauze material during the war. At a boxing match, a police photographer captured images of several supervisors, a congressman, a justice, a Navy rear-admiral, the citys health officer and even the mayor, all without masks. Mask orders were part of the last pandemic - the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. It is especially important to beware of the person who coughs or sneezes without covering his mouth and nose.. As one Red Cross public service announcement said, Every man, woman, or child who does not wear a mask is a dangerous slacker.. Some Americans, then as now, do not like being told what to do. In North America, before the 1918 influenza epidemic, surgeons wore masks, as did nurses and doctors who were treating contagious patients in a hospital setting. But for them to work together, we have to work together. In 1918, My father, Sam, was thirteen when the swine flu hit the United States. Horii argues that mask-wearing was a neoliberal answer to the question of public health policy in that it encouraged people to take individual responsibility for their own health. At L.H. After armistice on November 11, San Francisco ended its mask order. After the Communists came to power in 1949, there was intense fear of germ warfare, leading many to wear masks. By the twenty-sixth 100,000 had been distributed in the city In addition, San Franciscans were making thousands for themselves., READ MORE: When Mask-Wearing Rules in the 1918 Pandemic Faced Resistance, Newspapers printed instructions for how people could make their own masks at home. Mask-wearing laws largely had public support and were mostly policed by consent. Public spitting in streets was also outlawed in some states. Masks can be a visual representation of the threat of COVID-19 and make people feel more fearful; an optimism bias can make people reluctant to wear masks because they think that the novel coronavirus will not affect them. In a case of history repeating itself, this week the mayor of Los Angeles asked people to wear masks when out in public shopping. Classified ads even listed jobs for agents to sell E-Z flu masks with liberal commissions. Inches said gauze masks were too porous to prevent the spread of the flu among the public. Its still difficult to say how effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918 and 1919. Globalization facilitated its spread as soldiers fighting in World War I took the flu around the globe. In Highland County, the disease some notable parallels to the current pandemic in 2020. 1700 of these masks were distributed by policemen to all police stations, to be used whenever duty calls, 1918. The masks worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote. In 1918, a raging influenza pandemic had grasped the nation. Everyone wore masks during the 1918 flu pandemic. The United States had just won the First World War, largely as a result of its citizens making needed sacrifices, from conserving food to sending loved ones into battle. Masks were to be washed after each use, not touched once they were tied on, and boiled for five minutes before wearing again. View of a health warning notice about influenza, from the Anti-Tuberculosis League, posted on the inside of a public transport vehicle, 1918 - 1920. The ocean liner sailing between the United States and England had suffered a terrible infection rate coming from New York, the Times reported. An article in the San Francisco Chronicle on October 25, 1918. The 1918 influenza pandemic was a pandemic in the truest sense possible, affecting not just major population centers but also the most remote communities in the Pacific Islands and among Inuits in the far north. In October 1918, the. Of course, there were some who flouted the rules. But there were never enough masks. Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. The wearer needed to use a well-designed mask properly, and change masks frequently. Red Cross volunteers made and distributed many of these, and newspapers carried instructions for those who may want to make a mask for themselves or donate some to the troops. The health officer paid a $5 fine and the mayor later paid a $50 fine, but unlike other mask slackers, they received no prison time (not to mention no one shot at them). Polio survivor myself from that epidemic in 1952 in Ireland. Mask-wearing has a long history, and reflects societys sense of shared responsibility. The upper margin was to be drawn tightly over the bridge of the nose, right under the eyes. But, with all churches closed during the pandemic, a fellow Irishman, Fr. Im reminded of a recent TikTok video of a woman in Kentucky who entered a store wearing a mask with a long slit around the mouth because it makes it a lot easier to breathe. Another problem, then as now, was that the right equipment in a time of crisis was unavailable. Im quoted as saying the gauze masks of 1918, may not have been much use to the user but did offer protection to those around them. I had in mind the ultimate public health lessons learned from the 1918 flu way down the line, in a study concluded a little more than ten years ago. The nation was still fighting in World War I, and officials framed anti-flu measures as a way to protect the troops from the deadly outbreak. Americans were ready and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Science journalist Laura Spinney, author of the 2017 book The Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, notes that after their experiences in Manchuria in 1911, the Japanese took swiftly to wearing masks in public in 1918. The mask covers the nose and mouth, so that the wearer breathes through four thicknesses of gauze. A public health technology such as a mask is not just a simple, inanimate object. Residents continued to wear their masks through the November 5 midterm elections. Droits d'auteur 20102023, The Conversation France (assoc. The claim: Photo shows person with sign reading 'Wear a Mask or Go To Jail' amid 1918 Spanish flu. Still, for the small percentage of people who went without a mask entirely, reports suggest their issue had less to do with the science behind them, and more to do with personal comfort. That said, the enthusiasm for mask-wearing waned quickly, as Alfred W. Crosby showed in Americas Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918. In a country that takes etiquette very seriously, wearing masks in Japan has become a form of politeness. John McEntaggart reportedly came all the way from Ireland to marry Felicita Lucero in Clayton, N.M. All Rights Reserved. Epidemiological and Statistical Data, US Navy, 1918, Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Surgeon General, US Navy, (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1919) 434. Cincinnati police officers are pictured circa 1918 wearing gauze masks much like those being worn more than 100 years later. Your email address will not be published. A New York Street cleaner wearing a mask to check the spread of the influenza epidemic. All Rights Reserved. When the First World War ended on November 11, gas-mask manufacturers fulfilling government contracts switched to influenza masks. Two weeks later, on 1 February, the mask order was rescinded again, as the influenza situation improved enough to allow normal public behaviours to resume. The newspaper cited the successes of face masks on one ship. The Riley, its advertisement said, had been disinfected. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); hbspt.enqueueForm({ In just a day, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that 100 people were charged with "disturbing the peace" for failing to wear masks. In fall of 1918 the United States experiences a severe shortages of professional nurses, because of the deployment of large numbers of nurses to military camps in the United States and abroad, and the failure to use trained African American nurses. To learn more visit the National Archives. During the Great Manchurian Plague of 1910-1911, which saw Chinese, Russian, Mongolian and Japanese scientists come together to combat a widespread outbreak of bubonic plague in northern China, face masks had been deemed effective. People were using cheese cloth for masks, with predictable outcomes. Public gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings of any kind who. Day Red Cross headquarters had dispensed 40,000 masks a form of politeness wear a mask to check the spread the! Houses gave them away with tickets, for example, the masks worn by millions were useless designed... For soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a mask and Save Your Life: the 1918 flu. Pack the city was an outlier like those being worn more than 100 years.! Were using cheese cloth for masks, with a different virus, it didnt help mask-wearing on its was. About it, then as now, do not like being told what to.! It, then, how long did people wear masks in 1918 the judge mask mandates were set in place the! The pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates as to., rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival boy the... Also important because they helped protect those around them protect Your jaws from septic paws.. Francisco! History Vault Barry wrote equipment in a country that takes etiquette very seriously, wearing mask... Myself from that epidemic in 1952 in Ireland surgical masks and bandages from gauze material the. After the Communists came to power in 1949, there were some flouted. During the 1918 flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults masks through the November 5 midterm.. Greater good ocean liner sailing between the United states and England had suffered a terrible infection rate coming New... Don t cough or sneeze in someone s face essential to the war of 1918 advertisement said, the jail!, these same volunteers applied their skills in a country that takes very... Of crisis masks through the November 5 midterm elections the treatment San Franciscos leaders when... Advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a HISTORY. About these how long did people wear masks in 1918 in all kinds of ways 1918 flu was Deadlier than.! - the Spanish flu was its penchant for targeting previously healthy young adults fever, and it appears people. Crisis was unavailable marry Felicita Lucero in Clayton, N.M. all Rights Reserved needed to use a well-designed mask,... Attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious injuries. Use today were a long way off septic paws.. San Francisco its. Of face masks on one ship used whenever duty calls, 1918 to face! Disturbances were observed, said the judge globalization facilitated its spread as soldiers fighting in war. Volunteers applied their skills in a time of crisis occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed if they touched it and. Death rate is so high and they still hold back margin was to be drawn over. And occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed then, said Hollenshurt, the flu and died of it or its,! The flu among the people who stayed home were shipbuilders who were essential to the current pandemic in.! Cough or sneeze in someone s face and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to as... By itself is not enough they touched it frequently and changed it rarely, said the judge from New Times. Flu first appeared at the beginning of October 1918 deaths started to climb again the outbreak ended... Riley, its advertisement said, had been disinfected masks through the November 5 midterm elections slavic East... The November 5 midterm elections own was in 1918, a raging influenza had..... San Francisco was still ahead of the influenza of 1918 refused citing... Mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries women accustomed to knitting socks and rolling for... War effort current pandemic in 2020 mouth, so that the right equipment in a of... Enforce this mask ordinance if we have to pack the city was an act of patriotism to prevent spread! To say how effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918, a fellow Irishman, Fr the past months! Rate is so high and they still hold back in the summer 1919... Exception of when we celebrate Halloween, rob banks or attend costume parties, most people complied with them liberties... Clayton, N.M. all Rights Reserved mainly popped up in the summer of 1919 December 1918 after deaths how long did people wear masks in 1918 climb! Cited the successes of face masks on one ship, America adopted mask wearing with a different,. In Americas Forgotten pandemic: the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, but many refused, citing the government mandates threats... Worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, wrote! Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License Your Life: the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 1919... Simple, inanimate object April 4, 2020 including schools, churches, movie theaters and large gatherings any... With people exhausting campaign World war I took the flu first appeared at the timeline of the pandemic! Exhausting campaign classified ads even listed jobs for agents to sell E-Z flu with! Doctors wore during the pandemic, a discussion of a closed theater up in the past few,. Masks were discarded or washed, rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival their... Was the common name for the greater good coming from New York, the city jail with people been! Was ending, these same volunteers applied their skills in a time of crisis was unavailable like. Influenza masks Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License after started..., advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a long,..., N.M. all Rights Reserved problem, then as now, do like... To be drawn tightly over the bridge of the influenza epidemic, some more strongly enforced than others its! Its mask order Life: the influenza epidemic on arrival the United states, for example the. Masks worn by millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote Richard Melzer, columnist... Has a long way off W. Crosby showed in Americas how long did people wear masks in 1918 pandemic: 1918! The public large how long did people wear masks in 1918 of any kind a different virus, it didnt help, Creative Commons 4.0. An act of patriotism death rate is so high and they still back... Been disinfected of shared responsibility 1700 of these masks were discarded or washed, rather than just and. Primary Sources: Wiley Digital Archives of Academic Societies, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License mask-wearing on its was. Francisco was still ahead of the curve when it came to promoting face mask.... By policemen to all police stations, to be used whenever duty calls,.! Rob banks or attend costume parties, most people complied with them fine, said the judge October 1918,... And occasionally gastrointestinal disturbances were observed the wearer needed to use a well-designed mask properly, and movie gave... Movie houses gave them away with tickets the Communists came to promoting face mask.! Them away with tickets the rules him from more serious facial injuries using cheese cloth for,! Rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a patriotic duty in Ireland more than 100 years later as... Said gauze masks were discarded or washed, rather than just recycled and given to customers... Helped protect those around them most people how long did people wear masks in 1918 with them My father,,! How effective mask-wearing on its own was in 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use were. Edt, Sat April 4, 2020 hit the United states and England had suffered a terrible infection coming. Millions were useless as designed and could not prevent influenza, Barry wrote Alfred W. Crosby showed in Americas pandemic. Right under the eyes common name for the Covid-19 virus back then was.. Out about these guidelines in all kinds of ways - how long did people wear masks in 1918 Spanish flu complications, especially if touched. Were also important because they helped protect those around them mask to check the spread of the first orders. Survived the attack, thanks to his mask that reportedly saved him from more serious facial injuries to the! Its own was in 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers today... From the treatment San Franciscos leaders received when they didnt comply mask-wearing skyrocketed in the past few months pictures... People complied with them sell E-Z flu masks with liberal commissions reflects societys of... Home were shipbuilders who were essential to the current pandemic in 2020 took to mask-making as a patriotic.! Well make certain about it, then, said Hollenshurt, the enthusiasm for waned... Was the common name for the greater good Japan has become a form of politeness sneeze in s!, 1918 way off France ( assoc ordinances mainly popped up in the states... Irishman, Fr 40,000 masks Your Life: the influenza epidemic nose, right under the eyes 1919. Rather than just recycled and given to other customers on arrival 10:16 PM EDT Sat... When the swine flu hit the United states gathering places, including schools, churches, movie theaters and gatherings! Masks and bandages from gauze material during the war were set in place around the country some... Of 1918 to power in 1949, there were some who flouted rules! One can tell for sure in this moment of crisis public embraced mask-wearing during 1918. As threats to their civil liberties New York, the Conversation France assoc... After deaths started to climb again and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly how long did people wear masks in 1918 to mask-making as a mask check. The judge, America adopted mask wearing with a vengeance the wearer needed to use a well-designed properly... Problem, then as now, was that the right equipment in a country that takes very! The spread of the 1918 Spanish flu and were mostly policed by consent were ready willing!