B. Dale Magee
Politics & Public Health, 1918: The Great War Meets the Great Influenza
America was founded on the principle of liberty, yet, as citizens, we are sometimes called upon to sacrifice for the government. Public Health mandates individual behaviors to benefit the population. In 1918 the United States prepared to enter World War I (the War to End All Wars) just as history’s most devastating influenza pandemic began its spread. How did Americans respond? What priorities did the government have? We will explore culture, mandates and details of what played out to put both government and public health into perspective.
Dale Magee, MD, is a retired Obstetrician-Gynecologist with a long interest in the history of medicine. He collects antique medical books and instruments and is the curator of the Worcester District Medical Society where he helps design displays, organize medical history tours and record spoken histories of senior physicians.
