Spanish flu the most lethal epidemic of the Revolution

• April 25, 2024

It is well known that in 1910, Mexicans lived in a society deeply unequal ; the wealth was concentrated in a privileged minority formed by foreigners, bankers, landowners, merchants, manufacturers and officials, while the majority composed of Indians, peasants, workers and artisans received miserable salaries.

In 1910, there were 15 million inhabitants, more than 7 million 600 thousand were women, 42% of the general population was under 15 years old and, on average, 76% of women and 68% of men were illiterate.

In the last years of the Porfiriato, the living conditions worsened for almost the entire population: between 1895 and 1910 the Life expectancy went down from 31 years to 30 and a half years, and the Child mortality it rose from 304 to 335 per thousand.

The fearsome Spanish influenza arrives

Given this panorama, it is not uncommon that during the Revolution various pest . Overcrowding, lack of hygiene , the shortage of food and the terrible living conditions of soldiers and civilians were extraordinary breeding ground for the propagation of diseases .

The historian and professor emeritus of the College of Mexico, Moisés González Navarro affirms that during the Porfiriato the six "quarantine" diseases arrived in Mexico: anger , the bubonic plague , the yellow fever , the smallpox , the typhus and the fever recurrent. The health policy of the Porfirista government was especially distinguished in the fight against epidemics coming from abroad. Already in the revolutionary stage, they fought against typhus, smallpox and malaria. However, the deadliest of all the epidemics that came to our country was the Spanish influenza . Although exact figures are not available, it is estimated that there was more than 300 thousand victims in Mexico.

It is not known exactly where the Spanish influenza ; Some sources indicate that he left the military training camps in the United States, others that came from Europe after the First World War. Probably on ships of "Transatlantica Española" the first patients arrived at the Gulf coast. Therefore, even when Spain it was the last country that suffered the epidemic , in Mexico it was called "Spanish influenza" and it had such serious characteristics in our country that in 1918 it caused a great mortality in Torreón, Gómez Palacio, San Pedro de las Colonias and some other immediate populations. Historians tell that there were days when they registered until 300 deaths daily only in Torreón and it is estimated that during the epidemic more than 21 thousand people died in those cities.

Video Medicine: The 1918 Flu Pandemic - Emergence - Extra History - #1 (April 2024).