PBS Film "Influenza 1918" - Link

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    "INFULUENZA 1918"

Program Description

The first reaction of the authorities was, for many of the most important 

ones, just flat-out denial. This was simply too large an event for them to 

deal with, not only in policy, but to even to think about constructively.

So,the chief health officer of New York, a man named Royal Copeland, 

denied it when it became undeniable. He said it wasn't any great danger. 

He talked a good game throughout the entire, epidemic and there were 

other people like him right across the United States. It's easy to blame 

these people in retrospect, but, of course, we have the advantage of 

hindsight. This was simply too big for them to take in as fast as they 

needed to take it in. If it had been a slow-moving epidemic, maybe they 

would have had a month, two months to realize, yeah, it really is 

happening out there. Instead, down the telegraph wires would come 

these almost unbelievable stories. If they were believable you're supposed 

to do something, if they were unbelievable, you didn't have to do 

anything. A lot of health officers were, and a lot of politicians to whom 

the health officers would have to con, people they'd have to convince, 

preferred not to face it. 

Excerpts from PBS 1918 Spanish Flu documentary.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/influenza/filmmore/reference/

interview/drcrosby3.html

"Influenza 1918" is the story of the worst epidemic the United States has 

ever known. Before it was over, the flu would kill more than 600,000 

Americans--more than all the combat deaths of this century combined.

"For the survivors we spoke to," says producer Robert Kenner, "the 

memory is one of horror and fear--which may explain why many 

Americans were willing to let those few terrible months fade into 

obscurity. Schoolchildren know more about the Black Plague from 

centuries ago than they do about this episode in our recent history."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/influenza/filmmore/reference/

interview/drcrosby3.html

Edited by Rick

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: PBS Film "Influenza 1918" - Link Posted: February 04 2006 at 10:40am
	"INFULUENZA 1918" Program Description The first reaction of the authorities was, for many of the most important ones, just flat-out denial. This was simply too large an event for them to deal with, not only in policy, but to even to think about constructively. So,the chief health officer of New York, a man named Royal Copeland, denied it when it became undeniable. He said it wasn't any great danger. He talked a good game throughout the entire, epidemic and there were other people like him right across the United States. It's easy to blame these people in retrospect, but, of course, we have the advantage of hindsight. This was simply too big for them to take in as fast as they needed to take it in. If it had been a slow-moving epidemic, maybe they would have had a month, two months to realize, yeah, it really is happening out there. Instead, down the telegraph wires would come these almost unbelievable stories. If they were believable you're supposed to do something, if they were unbelievable, you didn't have to do anything. A lot of health officers were, and a lot of politicians to whom the health officers would have to con, people they'd have to convince, preferred not to face it. Excerpts from PBS 1918 Spanish Flu documentary. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/influenza/filmmore/reference/ interview/drcrosby3.html "Influenza 1918" is the story of the worst epidemic the United States has ever known. Before it was over, the flu would kill more than 600,000 Americans--more than all the combat deaths of this century combined. "For the survivors we spoke to," says producer Robert Kenner, "the memory is one of horror and fear--which may explain why many Americans were willing to let those few terrible months fade into obscurity. Schoolchildren know more about the Black Plague from centuries ago than they do about this episode in our recent history." http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/influenza/filmmore/reference/ interview/drcrosby3.html Edited by Rick

bruss01 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 12 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 448	Post Options Post Reply Quote bruss01 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 04 2006 at 10:50am
	Buy it here: http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2151690 This also of interest: http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1756740

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 04 2006 at 4:15pm
	Brusso1, Thanks.