An Analysis of The Great Influenza by John Barry

The Great Influenza is unforgettable; it has certainly opened my eyes to a specific time in not just US history but the world. This book was written in very well detailed form. It was very gruesome to read and yet educational. John Barry has written this book in great details that I felt as if I was there in 1918 experiencing the influenza myself.

The Great Influenza by John Barry is a remarkable book! The great research and detail that he put in is absolutely incredible.

The story itself made me feel as if I was reliving history. However, the beginning of the book didn’t really pull me in automatically, it was pretty boring I must admit, but as I read deeper into the book it got more and more interesting and very historical.

First off the book is divided into 10 parts. The first part after the prologue introduced the warriors of the century. Here I got a glimpse of the shaping of Johns Hopkins Medical School, and the great minds, like William Welch, who helped, along with other known scientist and researchers at the time revolutionized the transformation of American medical education prior to 1918 and also to this day it continues to influence medical research and practice.

As I read through the book it evolves into the pandemic of 1918 which is the Great Influenza.

The book also showed me a great deal of history in science, and also of political and world history. John Barry took me through the political aspect of government and the decisions that President Woodrow Wilson had to make during the sinking of the Lusitania by a German submarine and through the evolution of medicines.

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I also learned a great deal of science as well with the great intense detail to how the pandemic evolved to cause the spread of it in 1918. John Barry gave great intense detail how and influenza works in the hosts that are infected. It felt like microbiology class, but it was really captivating, however, I was a little confused on some areas of the book, but overall it was educational and it shed some light to some confusion I have on viruses and infections.

I specifically like how John Barry describe the pandemic and it felt so well detailed that I felt a little disgusted. Like in one part where the virus had spread, and Welch was experiencing its, he described it with detail on how the linen and clothing smelt of urine and feces. John Barry further describes how blood was everywhere from the linens, clothes to the patients nostrils, ears and coughed up blood. When I read this part I cringed in disgust, but somehow it did not want me to put the book down, I just had to read more. Then, I got to the part of the corpse littering the hallways and the people had to step amongst them just to get to the autopsy. This coming part made me more cringe at the thought of a young man; maybe he could be my age, lying on this table, with his organs exposed and liquid pouring out if they move the body.

I felt I was going to cry and throw up at the same time. The description of the autopsy room is so well detailed that I felt I could smell everything that was in there, the dead bodies lining the hallways, the dead corpse on the table and the smell of the organs that has been exposed. Oh goodness, just the thought of it makes me feel nauseous. As I continue to read the book, I had many mix emotions of sadness, feeling of nausea, madness, and cheerfulness. This shows in the end how the scientist has dedicated their lives in researching for the cure and treatment of the virus, it shows real commitment of the scientist and medical doctors to their patients and to people. This just reminded me of the ethical principles and theories that nurses must live by when they are finally registered nurse, the commitment to their patients and the sincerity that a nurse must give.

The book has made a really big impact on me and how I view the world now. I have learned the social, medical, and political history of the time that the influenza pandemic occurred. The book had truly opened my understanding of the history of science and medicine. The author had captured its audience with great detail to the book. This book is a great book not just for medical and science majors but people who are interested in the history of the US and the world. This is a must read to anyone.