Piles of bodies. Coffin shortages. Mass graves.
The great influenza pandemic infected roughly one in three people—and killed tens of millions of victims around the world.
The virus was, in many ways, something that nobody in the medical field had seen before. Victims experienced symptoms so suddenly, and so violently, that many could pinpoint the exact moment when they knew they were sick. Others reportedly collapsed and died on the spot.
The wide array of symptoms often led to misdiagnoses, which helped the virus spread. People with extreme cases developed horrible complications, including blood pouring from their mouths, ears, and eyes.
Compare these startling historical accounts to our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic with our Instaread on The Great Influenza.
