Hearth Interactive

Places

Valencia

A city of eastern Spain, from which, the Public Health Service said, the first epidemic of influenza in America came in 1647.

Today: Valencia, Spain

The Government Explains the Flu, 1918

U.S. Public Health Service (Rupert Blue, Surgeon General), “Spanish Influenza,” “Three-Day Fever,” “The Flu” (1918) · September 28, 1918

4

Epidemics of influenza have visited this country since 1647. It is interesting to know that this first epidemic was brought here from Valencia, Spain. Since that time there have been numerous epidemics of the disease. In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic of influenza, starting somewhere in the Orient, spread first to Russia, and thence over practically the entire civilized world. Three years later there was another flare-up of the disease. Both times the epidemic spread widely over the United States.

Epidemics of influenza have visited this country since 1647. It is interesting to know that this first epidemic was brought here from Valencia, Spain. Since that time there have been numerous epidemics of the disease. In 1889 and 1890 an epidemic of influenza, starting somewhere in the Orient, spread first to Russia, and thence over practically the entire civilized world. Three years later there was another flare-up of the disease. Both times the epidemic spread widely over the United States.