“No Quarantine Here Against Influenza” from the New York Times, published on August 15th, 1918

In the backdrop of World War I, public health and media outlets faced a unique challenge: to disseminate accurate and useful information on the surging pandemic without violating Woodrow Wilson’s wartime Sedition Act – an act that made it illegal to “utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United State… or to urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production in this country of anything or things… necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war,” (Barry 2017, 37). Regardless of the Act’s efficacy with regard to the United States wartime performance, there is no doubt that this enforced censorship significantly hindered the nation’s ability to respond adequately to influenza. Media coverage of disease spread ran the gamut from severely downplaying the impacts of the pandemic to subtly urging compliance with health and safety regulations. In light of this uncertainty and inconsistency, a valuable historical perspective can arise from examining local news publications in the context of both national news publications from the time period, and scientific publications reflecting on the data. 

A New York Times article published on August 15th, 1918, entitled “No Quarantine Here Against Influenza” embodies this questionable coverage of the influenza outbreak. The majority of the article details the findings of health officials after examining the arrival of a Norweigan steamer at a New York Port, carrying patients sick with influenza. The article repeatedly cites Dr. Cofer and Dr. Copeland, assuring the population that the epidemic is nothing to fear. The health officials reported that the infection “seldom attacks any but persons who are badly nourished,” going so far as to explicitly state that there was “no need for our people to worry over the matter,” (New York Times 1918, 6). And yet, an article published the following February, by the very same publication, reflects a very different reality for New York City. Influenza spread and deaths in New York increased significantly throughout September and October, with a peak in deaths during the week of October 26th, 1918. At the height of this wave of illness, 100 deaths per 100,000 people per week were reported. Despite the reassuring words in “No Quarantine Here Against Influenza,” death and illness descended on the city. 

Such optimistic coverage was not unique to New York City, even as influenza claimed hundreds of thousands of lives across the country. A Boston Daily Globe article published on October 9th, 1918, entitled “Back of Influenza Epidemic Broken” exemplifies this notion. The headline itself claims victory over a disease that would go on to claim 195,000 deaths in the United States that very month (1918 Pandemic Influenza Historic Timeline 2018). In fact, while Boston reported success, Chicago, San Antonio, Little Rock, New York, Philadelphia, and many other cities saw their worst peaks in viral infection and shutdowns of city functioning. Boston did, indeed, reach its death peak during the week this article was written, but the city’s death rates decreased slowly over the months. Furthermore, generalizations made in the article – for instance, the quote from Eugene R. Kelley, the Massachusetts State Health Commissioner, claiming “there is but little doubt that with a continuation of fair weather and general observance of the emergency regulations the time will soon come when people can venture forth without fear of infection” – in the midst of national infection and death, is indicative of the pressure placed on the media to highlight local triumph and underreport national struggle (Boston Daily Globe 1918, 1).