On the Issue of the Spanish Flu in the First Czechoslovak Republic

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to summarize the impact of Spanish influenza on the Czechoslovak Republic, examine the spread of Spanish influenza, and analyze its impact on the mortality of the population. The work is based on an analysis of mostly secondary historical sources containing information on the Spanish flu during the Czechoslovak Republic. Although the new Czechoslovak state paid significant attention to the healthcare system from its beginning, official government statistics do not offer enough relevant data to reconstruct the struggle of the healthcare system with the Spanish flu or determine the consequences of this pandemic in terms of population mortality. The expected number of deaths from Spanish influenza in the Czechoslovak Republic can be calculated using mathematical methods and relevant data. The Spanish flu pandemic tested the readiness of hospitals and nursing care to fight infectious disease of the new created state.