Monday, August 15, 2005

The Great Influenza

I just finished reading an amazing book titled "The Great Influenza," which is a terrific recounting of the 1918 influenza pandemic, as well as an exploration into the meaning and purpose of science. If you have no knowledge of the 1918 pandemic, believe me, it was stunning. An epidemological study in 2002 reviewed all available statistical data and conluded that at least 50 million people died worldwide, and the sheer number of people who fell ill is simply staggering--literally half or more of the population of some cities fell ill.

It's a brilliant read and the nature of the material is tremendously compelling. And believe me, after reading this, you'll never skip a flu shot again.

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