The History Book Club discussion

This is the discussion thread for the July/August/September Book of the Month Read - The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry.

This discussion kicks off on June 7th.

by John M. Barry

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History

by John M. Barry

Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestseller

“Barry will teach you almost everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history.”—Bill Gates, GatesNotes.com

"Monumental... an authoritative and disturbing morality tale."—Chicago Tribune

The strongest weapon against pandemic is the truth. Read why in the definitive account of the 1918 Flu Epidemic.

Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research, The Great Influenza provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon. As Barry concludes, "The final lesson of 1918, a simple one yet one most difficult to execute, is that...those in authority must retain the public's trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best. A leader must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart."

At the height of World War I, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease.

About the Author:



John M. Barry is a prize-winning and New York Times best-selling author whose books have won multiple awards.

The National Academies of Sciences named his 2004 book The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history, a study of the 1918 pandemic, the year's outstanding book on science or medicine.

His earlier book Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America, won the Francis Parkman Prize of the Society of American Historians for the year's best book of American history and in 2005 the New York Public Library named it one of the 50 best books in the preceding 50 years, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

His books have also been embraced by experts in applicable fields: in 2006 he became the only non-scientist ever to give the National Academies Abel Wolman Distinguished Lecture, a lecture which honors contributions to water-related science, and he was the only non-scientist on a federal government Infectious Disease Board of Experts.

He has served on numerous boards, including ones at M.I.T's Center for Engineering Systems Fundamentals, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Society of American Historians.

His latest book is Roger Williams and The Creation of the American Soul: Church, State, and the Birth of Liberty, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and winner of the New England Society Book Award.

His books have involved him in two areas of public policy. In 2004, he began working with the National Academies and several federal government entities on influenza preparedness and response, and he was a member of the original team which developed plans for mitigating a pandemic by using "non-pharmaceutical interventions"-- i.e., public health measures to take before a vaccine becomes available.

Both the Bush and Obama administrations have sought his advice on influenza preparedness and response, and he continues his activity in this area.

He has been equally active in water issues.

After Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana congressional delegation asked him to chair a bipartisan working group on flood protection, and he served on the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, overseeing levee districts in metropolitan New Orleans, from its founding in 2007 until October 2013, as well as on the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which is responsible for the statewide hurricane protection. Barry has worked with state, federal, United Nations, and World Health Organization officials on influenza, water-related disasters, and risk communication.

His writing has received not only formal awards but less formal recognition as well. In 2004 GQ named Rising Tide one of nine pieces of writing essential to understanding America; that list also included Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

His first book, The Ambition and the Power: A true story of Washington, was cited by The New York Times as one of the eleven best books ever written about Washington and the Congress.

His second book The Transformed Cell: Unlocking the Mysteries of Cancer, coauthored with Dr. Steven Rosenberg, was published in twelve languages.

And a story about football he wrote was selected for inclusion in an anthology of the best football writing of all time published in 2006 by Sports Illustrated.

A keynote speaker at such varied events as a White House Conference on the Mississippi Delta and an International Congress on Respiratory Viruses, he has also given talks in such venues as the National War College, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Harvard Business School. He is co-originator of what is now called the Bywater Institute, a Tulane University center dedicated to comprehensive river research.

His articles have appeared in such scientific journals as Nature and Journal of Infectious Disease as well as in lay publications ranging from Sports Illustrated to Politico, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fortune, Time, Newsweek, and Esquire. A frequent guest on every broadcast network in the US, he has appeared on such shows as NBC's Meet the Press, ABC's World News, and NPR's All Things Considered, and on such foreign media as the BBC and Al Jazeera. He has also served as a consultant for Sony Pictures and contributed to award-winning television documentaries.

Before becoming a writer, Barry coached football at the high school, small college, and major college levels. Currently Distinguished Scholar at Tulane's Bywater Institute and a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, he lives in New Orleans.

by Steven A. Rosenberg (no photo) and John M. Barry

by John M. Barry

by John M. Barry

by John M. Barry

by John M. Barry

About and Praise:

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History

#1 New York Times bestseller

"Monumental... an authoritative and disturbing morality tale."—Chicago Tribune

The strongest weapon against pandemic is the truth. Read why in the definitive account of the 1918 Flu Epidemic.

Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research, The Great Influenza provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon.

As Barry concludes, "The final lesson of 1918, a simple one yet one most difficult to execute, is that...those in authority must retain the public's trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best. A leader must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart."

At the height of World War I, history's most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease.

PRAISE

Over a year on The New York Times bestseller list

"Monumental... powerfully intelligent... not just a masterful narrative... but also an authoritative and disturbing morality tale." —Chicago Tribune

"Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject." —The New York Times Book Review

"Hypnotizing, horrifying, energetic, lucid prose..." —Providence Observer

"A sobering account of the 1918 flu epidemic, compelling and timely. —The Boston Globe

"History brilliantly written... The Great Influenza is a masterpiece." —Baton Rouge Advocate

Table of Contents

Praise for The Great Influenza p. i

About the Author p. iii

Title Page p. iii

Copyright p. vi

Dedication p. vii

PROLOGUE p. 1

Part I: THE WARRIORS p. 9

Part II: THE SWARM p. 89

Part III: THE TINDERBOX p. 117

Part IV: IT BEGINS p. 167

Part V: EXPLOSION p. 197

Part VI: THE PESTILENCE p. 229

Part VII: THE RACE p. 253

Part VIII: THE TOLLING OF THE BELL p. 297

Part IX: LINGERER p. 367

Part X: ENDGAME p. 399

AFTERWORD p. 449

Photographs p. 462

Acknowledgments p. 463

Notes p. 467

Selected Bibliography p. 507

Index p. 529

Photographic Credits p. 546

Syllabus

Week One: (pages i. - 40) - July 7th - July 12th

Praise for The Great Influenza p. i

About the Author p. iii

Title Page p. iii

Copyright p. vi

Dedication p. vii

PROLOGUE p. 1

Part I: THE WARRIORS p. 9

Week Two - (pages 40 - 80) - July 13th - July 19th

Week Three - (pages 81 - 117) - July 20th - July 26th
Part II: THE SWARM p. 89

Week Four - (pages 117 - 147) - July 27th - August 2nd
Part III: THE TINDERBOX p. 117

Week Five - (pages 147 - 167) - August 3rd - August 9th

Week Six - (pages 167 - 197) - August 10th - August 16th

Part IV: IT BEGINS p. 167

Week Seven - (pages 197 - 229) - August 17th - August 23rd
Part V: EXPLOSION p. 197

Week Eight (pages 229 - 253) - August 24th - August 30th
Part VI: THE PESTILENCE p. 229

Chapter 20 - (pages 231 - 242)
Chapter 21 - (pages 242 - 253)

Week Nine - (pages 254 - 296) - August 31st - September 6th

Chapter 22 - (pages 255- 265)
Chapter 23 - (pages 266 - 280)
Chapter 24 - (pages 281 - 287
Chapter 25 - (pages 288 - 296)

Week Ten - (pages 297 - 320) - September 7th - September 13th

Part VIII: THE TOLLING OF THE BELL - (pages 297 - 298)

Chapter 26 - (pages 299 - 313)
Chapter 27 - (pages 314 - 320)

Week Eleven - (pages 321 - 366) - September 14th - September 20th

Chapter 28 - (pages 321 - 333)
Chapter 29 - (pages 334 - 350)
Chapter 30 - (pages 351 - 366)

Week Twelve - (pages 367 - 399) - September 21st - September 27th
Part IX: LINGERER p. 367

Week Thirteen - (pages 399 - 449) - September 28th - October 4th
Part X: ENDGAME p. 399

Week Fourteen - (pages 449 - 462) - October 5th - October 11th
AFTERWORD p. 449

Photographs p. 462

Acknowledgments p. 463

Notes p. 467

Selected Bibliography p. 507

Index p. 529

Photographic Credits p. 546

Quick Look:
Week One - pages i to 40 - July 7th - July 12th
Week Two - pages 40 - 80 - July 13th - July 19th
Week Three - pages 81 - 117 - July 20th - July 26th
Week Four - pages 117 - 147 - July 27th - August 2nd
Week Five - pages 147 - 167 - August 3rd - August 9th
Week Six - pages 167 - 197 - August 10th - August 16th
Week Seven - pages 197 - 229 - August 17th - August 23rd
Week Eight - pages 229 - 253 - August 24th - August 30th
Week Nine - pages 254 - 296 - August 31st - September 6th
Week Ten - pages 297 - 320 - September 7th - September 13th
Week Eleven - pages 321 - 366 - September 14th - September 20th
Week Twelve - pages 367 - 399 - September 21st - September 27th
Week Thirteen - pages 399 - 449 - September 28th - October 4th
Week Fourteen - pages 449 - 462 - October 5th - October 11th

Sign up here if you plan to participate. I will be not be sending out an event notification nor a broadcast.

In the future, I will get back to that practice for every book - but right now I am concentrating on getting the discussions begun. It takes a lot of time and effort. I did send out one for the Alexander the Great book but for now we are just getting all of the other discussions up and running.

This is a single thread discussion - where you can only discuss the chapters that are assigned on the non spoiler thread - here we insist that you use the spoiler html in order not to ruin the book for anybody else coming along later - so be careful if you go ahead.

If you do not go ahead and you are only talking about the pages in the weekly assignment then you do not have to use spoiler html - otherwise you do.

If you go ahead and you are averse to the spoiler html - you can always post on the glossary thread which is a spoiler thread. Since however - this is a non spoiler thread - if you go ahead of the weekly assignment - then you must simply use spoiler html here.

You can copy and paste below to get your spoiler right:

(view spoiler)[Put Text Here (hide spoiler)]

All, we do not have to do citations regarding the book or the author being discussed during the book discussion on these discussion threads - nor do we have to cite any personage in the book being discussed while on the discussion threads related to this book.

However if we discuss folks outside the scope of the book or another book is cited which is not the book and author discussed then we do have to do that citation according to our citation rules. That makes it easier to not disrupt the discussion.

Spoiler html is just like bolding or underlining - the only difference is that instead of a b or a u - you use the word spoiler.

If you go ahead of the assigned reading - then this is how the spoiler html would look.

For example:

Introduction
(view spoiler)[This is where your comments go (hide spoiler)]

Remember the following:

Everyone is welcome but make sure to use the goodreads spoiler function if you get ahead of the assigned weekly pages.

If you come to the discussion after folks have finished reading it, please feel free to post your comments as we will always come back to the thread to discuss the book.

The rules

You must follow the rules of the History Book Club and also:

First rule of Book of the Month discussions:
Respect other people's opinions, no matter how controversial you think they may be.

Second rule of Book of the Month discussions:
Always, always Chapter/page mark and spoiler alert your posts if you are discussing parts of the book that are ahead of the pages assigned or if you have become expansive it your topics.

To do these spoilers, follows these easy steps:

Step 1. enclose the word spoiler in forward and back arrows; < >

Step 2. write your spoiler comments in

Step 3. enclose the word /spoiler in arrows as above, BUT NOTE the forward slash in front of the word. You must put that forward slash in.

Your spoiler should appear like this:
(view spoiler)

And please mark your spoiler clearly like this:

State a Chapter and page if you can.
EG: Chapter 24, page 154

Or say Up to Chapter *___ (*insert chapter number) if your comment is more broad and not from a single chapter.

Chapter 1, p. 23
(view spoiler)[I know everything now about chapter one and I am going to post it here - oops I better place this in a spoiler alert so I do not ruin the book for others (hide spoiler)]

If you are raising a question/issue for the group about the book, you don't need to put that in a spoiler, but if you are citing something specific, it might be good to use a spoiler.

By using spoilers, you don't ruin the experience of someone who is reading slower or started later or is not reading the assigned pages.

Thanks.

We are about to begin. We will read and discuss the assigned pages each week. The assignments are always doable and we suggest you have another book to read on the side so that you can participate in the group discussion and keep up without going ahead.

Just check the table of contents and the syllabus. I will always post at the end of the evening or week where I am in terms of moderating. And where I will begin the next day or if I have added everything for the week I will also let you know.

Tuesday, I will open up the discussion but for this week you should read up to page 40.

You can read a hardcover, a paperback, you can read the book on Kindle or you can listen to the book on audible. The format is really up to you and every medium is fine for this discussion.

If you read ahead, you can always use the spoiler html and read at your own pace. We just try to make it doable and a pleasant experience without pressure.

Post and introduce yourself and let us know where you are reading from - city (approximate), state or city, town, village (approximate) and in which country. And tell us what interested you about the book and your reason for wanting to read it. Are you concerned about the current pandemic and what questions might you have about the pandemic of 1918?

My name is Bentley and I am the founder and group leader of the HBC and I want to welcome you to this Book of the Month Club read. Considering what we are all living through regarding Covid-19 - this is a timely and interesting selection.

I promise you that we will get through this book with flying colors. And I am most curious about reading a book about the 1918 pandemic.

I am from the Metro NYC area and I enjoy thoroughly big cities but likewise I also enjoy country settings, roads and vistas. I love the ocean and being by water in general. And I seem to love all things paper. Getting a kindle was tough when you love the smell and the feel of books. But honestly it has been easier when you are moderating many different books at the same time and need to keep all your notes straight.

2020 has been quite a year - we have had an impeachment, we have had the discovery of killer hornets, we have had a serious and on going pandemic (the Coronavirus or Covid 19), we have seen the release of documentation that provides validity on the sightings of UFOs, we have seen global protests regarding racial issues and we have seen space travel once again take a giant step in the US. And it is only the beginning of July! Many of us have been sheltering in place and are washing our hands more in one day that we previously did in a week and our hands are showing it too. We are now wearing masks, shields, gloves and have sanitizer in a variety of shapes and sizes.

We are saddened at the loss of so many wonderful people from this pandemic and we are saddened of late regarding the death of George Floyd. Hopefully protests will stop because advances will have been made in global equality and justice and improvements will be seen in the criminal justice system stateside and globally.

So turning our attention to books and to discussions is very much welcomed even though we find ourselves looking back at history to understand the current situation.

Please introduce yourself and tell us why you are interested in reading about a past pandemic. Be sure to also tell us from what corner of the globe you are from - town, village, city and country or if you are from the US - city and state. We love to know where each of us is reading from. It can be of course be approximate.

It is always best to post and introduce yourself so folks know who you are when you post and feel more comfortable about posting back. We always introduce ourselves at the beginning of each discussion so folks know who is participating and we can get to know each other through the site.

Welcome to all.

Regards,
Bentley

We kick off on July 7th!

Our first week's reading assignment is as follows:

Week One: July 7th - July 12th (pages i through 40)

Praise for The Great Influenza p. i

About the Author p. iii

Title Page p. iii

Copyright p. vi

Dedication p. vii

PROLOGUE p. 1

Part I: THE WARRIORS p. 9 - just up to page 40

Please post and introduce yourself and it is never too late to join a discussion or a read at The History Book Club - so do not be shy.

How do you participate when you join a discussion?

* First, introduce yourself - say hello to everyone and the moderator so that they know you are there.

* Every week we will be posting new material regarding that week's reading assignment - so there will be lots to talk about. Each week just pick something that interests you in the chapter or in the ancillary material that you would like to comment on and post about that. You can answer and respond to one of the discussion questions and you can post as often and as much as you want or even just once for the assigned reading. If you stay with the assignments and you are on a single thread discussion like this one is - you do not need to use any spoiler html unless you go ahead. And then that is really easy. And you do not need to do citations on the book and author we are discussing - you only have to cite other books and authors; but never the one we are talking about. So there is nothing that should be holding anybody back and we are here to help. In fact, the sky is the limit on what you can discuss regarding any chapter.

Here is an example if you go ahead - then you must use the spoiler html: (don't have to - if you stay with us - but that is the option)

Chapter 10
(view spoiler)[I went ahead and I have this to say about this chapter. (hide spoiler)]

You can discuss anything on any of the pages that you are reading and you will always get a response. This discussion has sixteen weeks so you can post just once each week if you like - and just let us know what you are thinking about the book, what you are liking about each chapter or not and/or respond to a discussion question posted by the moderator or just tell us how you are doing! We try to keep things - easy, simple and not taking a lot of time.

*On the last week - we ask everyone who participated or read the book to just post an independent and honest review - your rating is up to you and this is your own recommendation - we only ask that folks are civil and respectful; but what you feel about any book is very much a personal experience so we leave it up to you. We just ask that you do not add links. Just do a copy and paste of your review and place it on the Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts thread. There is (of course) no self promotion.

And that is about it! It is easy to participate. Enjoy.

Folks, please let us know if you will be joining in this Book of the Month read. This will be a book of the month read and it will begin on Tuesday and you can go at your own pace. However, we do have weekly reading assignments but if you get behind that is fine - you can just post as you get caught up. If you go ahead - you have to use the spoiler html or post on the glossary spoiler thread.

Bentley will be leading the discussion. Everyone is welcome. The Table of Contents and the Syllabus have been posted on this thread.

Kickoff for discussion is Tuesday - July 7th.

You can post here in the meantime.

We begin Tuesday, July 7th.

Please post and introduce yourself - check messages 12, 13 for details.

Hi I’m Kathy and will be joining this discussion from Vermont USA. Given what’s going on currently this should be an interesting read. I’ve only heard bits and pieces of this story from my various other readings about WWI and documentaries. It’s hard to believe it has gotten so little press until the current pandemic since 100 million died worldwide. So I’m hoping to learn a bit about it by reading this book and maybe glean a few lessons from the history.

Terrific Kathy, I am glad you found the thread. I did post the link on the Ask a Mod thread for you.

Where approximately in Vermont are you? We just like to know approximate location.

I agree that this should be an interesting book - Bill Gates liked it too.

I did send out an event notification for another book that one of my moderators is going to lead beginning mid July but I have not sent out event notifications on the other books because we had/have so much starting up at around the same time.

Normally we send one notification per book because we never spam our members and we do everything in advance. From the responses, we then realize who has signed up and those folks we send a link to via the event notification response box.

We are glad you are here. This week we are only reading and discussing up through page 40.

Regards,

Bentley

PS -on the main page of the History Book Club is a video that was posted about the book by the Library of Congress - here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/videos/1647...

I’m about 30 minutes south of Burlington in a little town called Monkton. I moved up here about 6 years ago from CT. I worked in NYC for many years. I’m glad I’m missing the pandemic there. And I do love it here.

I’m not going to do the Alexander one since I’m working on Madeleine Albright’s book and I have about 10 others that I should be reading. I’m still working on the Iran book which was supposed to be a BOTM book but it fell during the time you were out. It’s really good. But I got a little distracted by all the goings on in the world. I picked it up again this week so hopefully I can work on all 3 at the same time.

I do have a masters in archaeology (in addition to one in business) so I am interested in books like the Alexander one but it does no good if I start a lot and finish none!

Hi Kathy,

So you were a Conn/NYC transplant to Vermont. OK now I understand that you are the same Kathy on the Albright read. The Iran book will be offered again now that I am back - I want to read that one as well; and it will be set up in the Free Read area soon (watch for it).

That is interesting about your archaeology degree. You may want to add an avatar to your profile (it can be anything - a flower, a photo of a pet if you have one, some outside photo, a book in front of your face - some people use coffee cups - anything so you do not have a blank icon. You can upload it in your profile.

I did not make the connection that you were the same Kathy as the Albright book. Normally, with the event notifications like the one that I set up for the Alexander read, everything is much more formal; but being that I was just back and getting things going - I did not want to barrage folks with an overload of notifications. I figure with those folks that are paying attention - that they would find everything as needed.

Moving to Vermont is a big adjustment I imagine; but an especially nice one this time of year.

Welcome to the reads and the discussions. You could put the Iran book on the back burner for now and jump into the Alexander discussion if you want. Whatever suits you.

Glad to have you with us.

by James Romm (no photo)

by Madeleine K. Albright

Hello, I'm Kelli from north Texas. I am a teacher that recently graduated from graduate school and have felt a bit lost without my extensive research and reading. I think this group is the cure to my concerns. This book has been on my shelf for quite awhile. I have always been interested in diseases and their effects on society. I am concerned about this pandemic due to the possible effects to future politics and foreign relations. I am interested in the major players in the pandemic of 1918 and how they were able to calm the public, control the media, and promote health policies.

Kathy wrote: "I’m about 30 minutes south of Burlington in a little town called Monkton. I moved up here about 6 years ago from CT. I worked in NYC for many years. I’m glad I’m missing the pandemic there. And I d..."

Ah another dog person - good choice (smile).

A Million Pages wrote: "Hello, I'm Kelli from north Texas. I am a teacher that recently graduated from graduate school and have felt a bit lost without my extensive research and reading. I think this group is the cure to ..."

Hello Kelli - welcome from North Texas. How are things going in Texas with the recent surges in the covid 19 cases? Staying safe and reading are both good choices.

Three excellent reasons for joining in the discussion - finding out how they calmed the public, controlled the media, and promoted health policies back then. Back then there was not the 24x7 cable news networks so things probably were a lot calmer. But we will discover together if Barry focuses on these areas which I hope he does.

The governor has started shutting everything back down and masks are required in every county. My friends are nurses and hospitals are overflowing with cases in rural and city hospitals. I hope so too! Either way, I'm so happy to be learning about this topic alongside the group.

A shame about the health care workers. They have a tough front line job right now.

The rural hospitals will especially be hard hit - hope they can reallocate like they ended up doing in New York.

We are glad to have you join in and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on what we learn together.

Thumbs up on closing things down - I am sure the governor was under political pressure but I have watched him on television and he appears to be level headed and wanting to do the right thing. Thumbs up on masks too.

Bentley, this book reading is so timely! My name is Andrea, from Houston (and very much home-bound) ... Amen to your post above ... I’m looking forward to this read’s starting tomorrow!
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea hello - glad that you are joining in. This week we are only reading through page 40 of the first chapter.

Be safe in Texas.

I read this years ago.. looking forward to the discussion! (goes to find book...to re-read..)

Welcome Kiri - I am assuming you are reading from Santa Rosa, California. One of my cousins lives there.

Hope you find the book and glad you are joining in - welcome.

I have found it! *waves book*

Bentley wrote: "Welcome Kiri - I am assuming you are reading from Santa Rosa, California. One of my cousins lives there.

Hope you find the book and glad you are joining in - welcome."

Wonderful (lol)

We kick off today!

Our first week's reading assignment is as follows:

Week One: July 7th - July 12th (pages i through 40)

Praise for The Great Influenza p. i

About the Author p. iii

Title Page p. iii

Copyright p. vi

Dedication p. vii

PROLOGUE p. 1 - we will discuss the prologue this week.

Part I: THE WARRIORS p. 9 - just up to page 40

In this segment, we will also be completing Chapter One - which starts on page 11 and ends on page 35 and we will begin Chapter Two which starts on page 36 and we will only go up to page 40 of Chapter Two for this week.

Please post and introduce yourself and it is never too late to join a discussion or a read at The History Book Club - so do not be shy.

There is a lot to talk about in the Prologue and up to page 40 of Part I - The Warriors. If you are not up to where you need to be this week - there is no rush - we will be finishing up last part of Part I of The Warriors next week.

I will be getting into some detailed questions as we move through the material this week - but some questions to kick off the discussion and just to get us warmed up.


John Hopkins

In The Beginning

Johns Hopkins

"A year before his death, Johns Hopkins (1795-1873) a multimillionaire Baltimore businessman, banker and Quaker philanthropist, created a visionary plan for a university and hospital that would bear his name and be forever linked—in a previously unimagined way—to foster the science of health care.

Johns Hopkins' $7 million bequest, then the largest gift of its kind (estimated to be worth up to $11 billion today), ensured that The Johns Hopkins Hospital, opened in 1889, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, launched in 1893, became intertwined as innovators in clinical care, teaching and discovery—changing the way medicine is practiced, taught and advanced throughout the world. The innovative methods pioneered here became the benchmark for hospitals and medical schools everywhere.

These institutions and their affiliates, known collectively since 1997 as Johns Hopkins Medicine, continue setting the standard for patient care, medical education and research in a diverse, inclusive and intellectually exciting environment.

More:

More about John Hopkins the man and his life:
Link: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/about...

Source: John Hopkins Medicine

Discussion Topics and Questions:

1. What was the state of medicine in the US compared to the rest of the world? What surprised you the most or the least?

2. How does John M. Barry present the state of U.S. science and medicine in the pre-World War I era? Consider, for instance, that admission to medical school had more to do with one's ability to pay tuition and gender versus academic achievement.

3. What role did the founding of John Hopkins Medical School and William Welch play in the development of modern medicine in the U.S.?

4. How did medicine make patients sicker than they would have been otherwise in the pre World War I era.

5. Considering we have about 4% of the world population in the US - how do we account for over 25% of the Covid 19 deaths world wide. Is there an anti science bias in this country or do we still have remnants of antiquated thinking when it comes to medicine, diseases and viruses?

6. Other - please feel free to offer a quote from the Prologue of the first segment of Part I - The Warriors that you would like to discuss or any other relevant topic related to the book.

Daniel Coit Gilman

In The Beginning

Daniel Coit Gilman

"(1831—1908) When The Johns Hopkins University opens in 1876, its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman, embraces an idea entirely new in the United States: a university dedicated not merely to advancing students' knowledge but also to advancing human knowledge generally through research and scholarship. "What are we aiming at?" Gilman asks in his inaugural address. "The encouragement of research and the advancement of individual scholars, who by their excellence will advance the sciences they pursue, and the society where they dwell."

For the university's medical school, Gilman foresees small classes, rigid examinations and practical work in the hospital's departments. The realization of that philosophy at Johns Hopkins, and at other institutions that later attracted Hopkins-trained scholars, revolutionizes not only American higher education but American medical training.

Source: John Hopkins Medicine

William Henry Welch

In The Beginning

William Henry Welch

"(1850—1934) Known for his 1891 discovery of the organism Bacillus welchii, the bacterium that causes gas gangrene, the school of medicine's first dean and first professor of pathology also conducts significant research in a number of other areas, including infectious diseases. In addition to attracting many bright and productive students to his laboratory, Welch is a man of remarkable administrative talents who quickly makes The Johns Hopkins Hospital a powerful base for the immediate success of the school of medicine.

In 1916, Welch founds the nation's first school of public health (now the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and serves as its first dean. By his 80th birthday in 1930, Welch is hailed universally as "the dean of American Medicine."

Source: Johns Hopkins

And so we begin:

PROLOGUE

"THE GREAT WAR had brought Paul Lewis into the navy in 1918 as a lieutenant commander, but he never seemed quite at ease when in his uniform.

It never seemed to fit quite right, or to sit quite right, and he was often flustered and failed to respond properly when sailors saluted him.

Yet he was every bit a warrior, and he hunted death.

When he found it he confronted it, challenged it, tried to pin it in place like a lepidopterist pinning down a butterfly, so he could then dissect it piece by piece, analyze it, and find a way to confound it.
He did so often enough that the risks he took became routine. Still, death had never appeared to him as it did now, in mid-September 1918.

Row after row of men confronted him in the hospital ward, many of them bloody and dying in some new and awful way. He had been called here to solve a mystery that dumbfounded the clinicians. For Lewis was a scientist. Although a physician he had never practiced on a patient.

Instead, a member of the very first generation of American medical scientists, he had spent his life in the laboratory. He had already built an extraordinary career, an international reputation, and he was still young enough to be seen as just coming into his prime.

Source: Barry, John M.. The Great Influenza (p. 1). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.


Paul Lewis

More than one scientist called Paul A. Lewis “the brightest man I ever met.” As a young investigator in 1908 he proved polio was caused by a virus and devised a vaccine that was 100 percent effective in protecting monkeys. It would be half a century before a polio vaccine could protect man. He too was one of the prime investigators searching for the cause of influenza, and a cure or preventative. Ultimately his ambition to investigate disease would cost him his life.

More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_A....
http://centennial.rucares.org/index.p...

Source: Photographic Insert in book, Wikipedia

Chapter Overviews and Summaries

Prologue

The prologue is focused on the life and work of Paul Lewis. The book is dedicated to the spirit of Paul Lewis. Discussion of the state of medicine in the US in the pre-World War I era.

Part One

Chapter One

This chapter with great detail discusses medicine in the pre-World War I era and the lack of standards in the medical profession and the evolution of the medical profession and the professionals who made a difference.

Chapter Two - only up to page 40

This chapter discusses the life and impact of William Henry Welch on the field of medicine.

LIVE: John M Barry – author “The Great Influenza" | The Great Courses Plus

Link: https://youtu.be/mtjD1lUNC6w

Source: Great Courses Interview

LIVE CHAT with John M Barry – author of “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History” sits down to chat about pandemics throughout history and what they can teach us. This interview brought to you in partnership with @PenguinGroupUSA

Bentley,there is so much to process here! Thank you! First off, I am so impressed by John M. Barry’s credentials ... also, in my opinion, it takes a special type of brain to write scientific history ... at least to write it well ... I’m hoping this will be (almost expecting) a book of the caliber of Richard Holmes’ The Age of Wonder.
Regards,
Andrea

by Richard Holmes

You are welcome Andrea - what are your thoughts regarding Paul Lewis or the state of medicine and medical schools in pre World War United States. Chapter One for instance is chock full.

Hi, I'm Connie from a small city in Hartford County in Connecticut. Our state was hard hit in the early stages of COVID, but is doing well now.

I became interested in the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 after reading a fictional book, As Bright as Heaven, a few years ago. I'm looking forward to learning the science and public health decisions behind it.

by Susan Meissner

I read in the newspaper this morning that the Trump administration has formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization. It will take effect in a year, on July 6, 2021, although it could be rescinded under a new administration or if circumstances change.

This had been threatened back in May. Instead of pressing for reforms, the United States is leaving in the middle of a pandemic! This is a political decision, instead of a public health decision.

Welcome Connie - we are glad to have you with us.

I just read that there are some contingencies built into the announcement and the actual cancellation; so the baby might not be thrown out with the bath water - but that remains to be seen.

You are preaching to the choir. It is just like so many of these decisions that any fair minded individual would be scratching their heads about.

But the administration is sticking its heads in the sand and trying to pretend that the US citizens do not notice that Covid 19 cases in the United States has just passed 3,000,000 cases. We have only 4% of the world's population and as I write this today over 25% of the world's covid deaths. Who is kidding whom about something so dangerous to the health of Americans?

Like this one where he is forcing the CDC to revamp its guidelines -- very dangerous:

Link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politi...
Link to a Fact Check: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politi...

Indeed - regarding your assessment.

Sources: CNN

I did my reading for the week plus some. I can already tell this book is going to be an interesting read. I'm trying to get my emails from the group make sense and not be overwhelming so excuse me for this extraneous post.

Kathy wrote: "I did my reading for the week plus some. I can already tell this book is going to be an interesting read. I'm trying to get my emails from the group make sense and not be overwhelming so excuse me ..."

Kathy, you mentioned in another post that you have a degree in archeology. I was wondering if archeologists have to protect themselves in any way when they are working around graveyards and other sites where people may have died of the plague, anthrax, smallpox, and other diseases. I don't know how long the remains would be infectious.

I've never seen or heard of any archeologists protecting themselves from disease from bones on sites they are digging. So I'm not sure how long they stay infectious. I dug primarily Neanderthal sites and later Paleolithic when I was studying. Most organic material (including human bones) don't last that long. And to be honest unless you are in a colonial or Native American cemetery, it's rare that you are digging up human remains. Native Americans generally don't give permission to dig up burial sites (with good reason) and you also need special permission to dig colonial cemetery sites. I dug on one when I was in CT (since that was the state archeologist's speciality) and there was no mention of a concern. I also dug near (but not in the actual burial sites) in a Mound site in KY which would have dated probably 1100 to 1500 AD maybe (Native Americans buried in the mounds after the residences had been abandoned). No mention of concern about infection. Sorry I can't be more specific than that. Kathy

I will not intrude in the conversation regarding archeologists and infectious diseases. @Connie and @Kathy

Kathy, good - I was waiting for folks to respond to the initial questions.

I am not sure what you mean about the emails from the group - we have not sent out any emails whatsoever.

We sent out one event notification for the book on Alexander the Great.

You may be receiving notifications from goodreads itself- go into the settings area of your notifications - profile - account settings - emails and then you can control some of the notifications that you receive from goodreads.

You may be signed up for personal notifications from goodreads via threads so you should look into that. But as far as the group sending you anything - we have not.

We normally send out one event notification per month and that is it. But in the case of all of the current reads - we have not sent out any. Hope you resolve your issue.

Feel free to intrude on our discussion.

The emails were definitely from Goodreads and not from the group and I think I figured it out. But I'm in the testing phase. And I wanted to follow this thread (and any other books I'm reading) but not others. Still learning how to get it to work. Thanks!

Yes, sometimes it is confusing.