Monday, April 27, 2009

The Spanish Influenza

This time yesterday, the number of casualties supposedly claimed by the Swine Flu was still under a hundred, and the reported cases in the United States were a little over a handful. But a day does make a difference. Whereas the United States government was wary about discouraging travel to Mexico, today came the appeal to halt any unimportant trips to the region. The European Union was much frightened and issued a warning against all nonessential trips even before the United States government made the announcement. The specter of the next great plague and of emerging diseases has fascinated and terrified at the same time. From movies to television there has been no shortage of human creativity in bringing to life the effects of some supposed super bug. So, is this that dreaded super bug or just some wart that will be easily thwarted?

My Mother Remembers Spanish Influenza

I was the first person in our town
to catch the Spanish Influenza.
I heard it came over on the streetcar,
hissing and snapping to itself
as it crossed the river
And when the car stopped at the foot of our hil,
the bell rang twice, the flu got off
and burst inside my head
like sparklers on the Fourth of July
Soon it was smooth and hot as rails in the sun,
running inside my head, metal on metal, ice on ice.
When it began to go away,
the neighborhood children took it, piece by piece,
on the thick, round wheels of their roller skates.
Mother brought me a white paper bag
of coconut macaroons.
I ate three and I was sick
into the gray metal basin
filled with disinfectant and water
that was kept near my bed.
Mother doubted that the flu came on the streetcar.
It seemed more likely to her
that my two young uncles
had brought it back from France with them,
hidden in the silk webbing
that stretched between the carved ivory fingers
of the painted fan they had given me.
But I knew better.
I could still hear it, when Mother left the room at night,
whispering to itself about itself
as it came across the river on the last car.
It stopped at the foot of our hill for a second,
and then rode on down the valley to the carbarn,
where it waited out the night.

-JOHN RATTI

Published in the September 17, 1979 issue of The New Yorker magazine, the poem was written by Ratti about his mother's recollection of the Spanish Influenza of 1918.

12 comments:



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  5. My brother David has been diagnose with HERPES for a little more than a year. He showed signs of it for close to three years and no Doctor was able to figure out what was wrong, until my sister whom he had been living with kept trying to bring him to each doctor ---- finally found a doctor who recognised almost immediately that he had HERPES. He has been taking medication that was made available to him only through a medical grant funding from those who have donated to the continuing research for a possible cure. He has slowed down in the progression, but without side affects. My hopes and prayers are that, you can HERPESo contact the Doctor for possible cure if you have HERPES or any relative suffering for same disease here is their contact is as follow. healthmedlab@gmail.com OR info@healthmedlabclinic.com  their Website: www.healthmedlabclinic.com

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  7. HOW I GOT CURED FROM HPV WARTS Greetings to the general public, i want to tell about how i was cured of HPV disease by a Doctor called DR ubarlo i was browsing through the Internet searching for remedy on HPV and i saw comment of people talking about how DR ubarlo cured them. I Was scared because i never believed in the Internet but i was convince to give him a try because i having no hope of been cured of HPV so i decided to contact him with his email that was listed on the comment when i contacted him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that i took and it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without problem, my HPV result came out negative. I pray for you God will give you everlasting life, you shall not die before your time for being a sincere and great man. Am so happy, you can also contact him if you have any problem Email: drubarlohome@gmail.com or whatsApp him on this number +2348119508814.1 LOVE SPELL 2. ALS CURE 3. HEPATITIS B 4. HIV/AIDS CURE 5. HERPES CURE 6 SPIRITUAL HEALERS

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  8. THANX TO DOCTOR OSAZE WHO CURE ME FROM HERPES SIMPLEX AND HAERT DIESEASE WITH HIS HERBAL MEDICATION, MY ENTIRE LIFE WAS BECOMING MISERABLE WHEN I CONTACTED THESE DIESEASES, I WENT TO DIFFERENT HOSPITAL IN NEWYORK AND CONNECTICUT TO NO AND VAIL, UNTIL I CAME ACROSS DOCTOR OSAZEE'S TESTIMONIES ONLINE ON HOW HE HAS BEEN USING HIS HERBS TO CURE PEOPLE OF HERPES DIESEASES, AND I DICIDED TO CONTACT HIM AND GIVE HIS MEDICATION A TRY, WITHIN ONE MONTH AND A WEEK I WAS TOTALLY CURED, IN CASE YOU ARE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR PROBLEM AND YOU WANTS TO CONTACT DR OSAZEE, YOU CAN EMAIL HIM ON: DROSAZEHERBAL@GMAIL.COM OR CALL OR WHATSAP HIM ON: +2347089275769

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  9. Hello everyone. Dr. Ehimare. Herbs is a good remedy for herpes Virus , I was a carrier of herpes virus and I saw a testimony on how Dr. Ehimare. cure Herpes Virus, I decided to contact him, I contacted him and he guided me. I asked him for solutions and he started the remedies for my health. After he finish he sent me the herbs which i took for 2 weeks before asking me to go for a check up and getting there i could not believe that i was confirm HSV 2 Negative after the test, Today i am so happy because i'm free from herpes disease with the help of Dr. Ehimare. Thank God now everything is fine, I'm cured by Dr. Ehimare herbal medicine, I'm very thankful to God for making it possible. you can reach him on his email, i strongly recommend him to any one out here looking for a cure.Contact Dr Ehimare via email: Drehimare3@gmail.com call or whatsApp him on+1 (267) 691-1087

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  10. I purchased herpes herbal medicine and received it within 7 days and used it as prescribed, I tested negative within 3 weeks use, do not loose hope to contact him early If you need help meet him on his email address drubarlohome@gmail.com or Whatsapp number +2348119508814

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  11. Powerful Herbal treatment is 100% guarantee for HSV cure, the reason why most people are finding it difficult to cure HSV 1 or 2 is because they believe on medical report, drugs and medical treatments which is not helpful to cure HSV and hasnít proved any sign of helping. Natural roots/herbs are the best remedy which can easily eradicate herpes forever. I never believed it until I was helped and cured of my 16 months genital herpes with natural herbal medicines from Dr Aza. Where other medical prescribed drugs and treatments failed, Dr Aza natural herbs helped saved me from Genital herpes permanently and i am so grateful for this. You can also get help from this great and powerful African Herbalist Dr Aza or you can also contact Dr Aza through his email :drazaherbalcenter@gmail.com or WhatsApp him via: +1(315)7951518 , you can also visit his website on: www.drazaherbalcenter.com

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  12. I am really happy that i have been cured from (HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS) with the herbal medicine of Dr MOMOH , i have been suffering from this disease for the past 3 years and 4 mouth without solution until i came across the email of this doctor who have cure so many people with his herbal medicine, i also choose to give him a chance to help me and my husband, he told me what to do and i kindly did it, and he gave us his herbal medicine and direct me on how to use it, i also follow his instructions for use and he ask us to go for a check up after 1 week and 5days which i did, to my greatest surprise our result came out as negative, we are really happy that there is someone like this doctor who is ready to help anytime any day. To all the readers and viewers that is doubting this testimony, stop doubting it and contact this doctor if you really have one and see if he will not actually help you. i am not a stupid woman that i will come out to the public and start saying what someone have not done for me and i know that there are some people out there who are really suffering and hurting their family just because of these diseases so you can Email him on dr.momoh9@gmail.com OR
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    HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS.
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    Thank you for your time

    ReplyDelete