University Archives News

Influenza Changes, Stays Same

No, it's not the latest swine flu announcement. As a matter of fact, the article from which we derived this headline is actually from the October 30, 1918 issue of The Northwestern Weekly, and so is 91 years old. It refers to the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918-1920, where an estimated one-third of the world's population was infected. Evanston was no more spared from this flu than the rest of the region. Of course, as one can see from this article, Northwestern did implement strict policies to contain the contagion. Even the previously-untouchable football season was altered to accommodate the containment policies, with several games postponed or even canceled.

So just because this article is so old doesn't mean that it's not relevant to Northwestern today! As a matter of fact, depending on how bad the swine flu (er, "H1N1 influenza") gets, this article might give us a good idea of what to expect. If the past is any guide, and the situation becomes truly dire, while classes shall mostly likely continue, student activities may come more or less to an end. Chapel services may be discontinued, and even "quiet and lady-like gatherings of co-eds in one room" might have to be postponed.

Of course, there is no doubt that, in the event of an emergency, Northwestern will enforce whatever policies it institutes with the same strictness with which it enforced them 90 years ago: "Disobedience of these orders will be punished by measures which will insure obedience."

You can read the full article below: