The 1918 Flu Pandemic

History Talk, the history podcast from Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective

Recent estimates suggest that the 1918 flu pandemic claimed as many as 50 million lives around the world between 1918 and 1919, killing more people in a single year than the entire “Black Death” of the 14th century. As the world confronts a new pandemic, it is worth remembering the history of the “Spanish” flu and how it set us on the path towards our modern flu vaccine. Written by Dr. Jim Harris. Narrated by Dr. Nicholas Breyfogle. A textural version is available at http://origins.osu.edu/milestones/pandemic-flu-spanish-flu-1918-H1N1-WW1-vaccine