1918 Flu Pandemic Songs?

[PeterPoggi]

I'm interested in 78's  songs recorded about the Influenza pandemic of the early 20th century. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[marcapra]

I am guessing they probably were never made.  Who would be a flu song?  

[CurtA]

Here's one:

 

[MisterJive47]

I've not found a recording of it as of yet, but here is a piece of sheet music I crossed upon on eBay a month or two ago.

[phonogfp]

These songs are dated 1916 and 1911 respectively, so it's doubtful that they refer to the influenza epidemic of 1918-1920.

 

George P.

[CurtA]

There were several other epidemics in 1916, including polio and the mysterious "Sleeping sickness" epidemic whose cause has yet to be determined:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883045/

 

"Between 1916-1931 a mysterious illness swept across the globe, afflicting millions, killing one-third outright and leaving another third permanently disabled. Encephalitis lethargica (also known as epidemic encephalitis) usually appeared in a person who had had recent symptoms of a sore throat or flu-like illness, and was characterized by the patient appearing to fall into a deep sleep that could last for weeks or months. Some patients were stricken so suddenly that they seemed to lose consciousness while in the midst of eating, their partially chewed food still in their mouths. Others developed oculogyric crises, with many also developing signs of Parkinson's disease. Half of those who survived (and up to 70% of children who survived) emerged with significant personality changes and/or other disabilities."