Austria's Post-Wwi Health Crisis: A Deadly Disease's Legacy

The Spanish Flu, also known as La Grippe, was a deadly disease that spread across the world in the aftermath of World War I, killing an estimated 50 million people. It was a highly contagious and vicious virus that caused a deadly type of pneumonia, with symptoms including headaches, muscle aches, fever, weakness, and a persistent, dry cough. The Spanish Flu was particularly devastating in Austria-Hungary, with civilian deaths due to famine and disease estimated at 25,000. The influenza pandemic, which lasted from 1918 to 1920, was a global health crisis that highlighted the need for international cooperation in combating infectious diseases.

Trench foot

The British Army reported over 75,000 cases of trench foot, while the US Army had around 2,000 cases. However, improvements in the quality of soldiers' boots towards the end of the war significantly reduced the number of cases. Trench foot was not an infectious disease, but secondary infections often occurred if the injury was left untreated.

To treat trench foot, soldiers were advised to rinse their feet in lukewarm water, dry them thoroughly, and change their socks several times a day. This simple treatment plan helped to reduce the number of cases and prevent further complications.

Trench fever

If a soldier was diagnosed with trench fever, it meant they would be off duty for a minimum of three months. On the other hand, trench fever's low mortality rate also made it a saviour for many men who would have otherwise lost their lives on the battlefield. Trench fever, like shell shock and related conditions, paradoxically saved lives as they made soldiers unfit for duty on the front line.

Typhoid and typhus fever

Typhus fever, also known as gaol fever or ship fever, is transmitted through body lice called Pediculus humanus. The core organism is called Rickettsia prowazekii. Typhus was caused by bad hygiene and was a huge problem during World War I, resulting in a devastating number of deaths. With no antibiotics available, the mortality rate varied from 10 to 80 percent. Countries like Russia reported an average of 82,000 cases every year, and this number rose to 154,000 after the retreat of 1916.

Typhus fever was a huge problem in the Balkans, where the war began. An enormous epidemic started in early 1915 in Belgrade, which had already changed hands twice. It killed at least 150,000 people in Serbia, causing military activity on both sides to be suspended for six months. The American Red Cross sent a sanitary commission to Serbia, with Hans Zinsser as the bacteriologist. In his book, 'Rats, Lice and History', he states:

> "Among the most remarkable phenomena of the war is the total absence of typhus from the Western Front. No completely satisfactory explanation for this can be offered. Soldiers in the trenches on this front were as universally lousy as soldiers have always been."

There is a likely explanation for this: typhus fever in the UK in 1914 was approaching extinction, so soldiers were not taking it with them from home to war. Even in Glasgow, a hot spot for the disease, mortality rates from it had fallen by more than 99% by 1910, and diagnosticians were worried that medical students would see none before graduation.

Spanish flu

The Spanish Flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic, was a particularly deadly strain of influenza that swept the world in 1918 and 1919, killing an estimated 50 million people globally. It was first reported in Spain, hence its name, as the country was not involved in the war and had no press censorship.

The Spanish Flu was a highly contagious and unusually deadly disease. It infected around 500 million people, or one-third of the world's population at the time. The death toll was estimated to be between 20 and 50 million, with some estimates reaching as high as 100 million. This meant that the Spanish Flu killed more people than World War I, which took the lives of 17 million soldiers and civilians.

The Spanish Flu was unique in that it caused mortality in young, healthy adults, unlike typical influenza strains that affect mostly the very young and the elderly. The disease caused a deadly type of pneumonia, with victims suffering from headaches, muscle aches, a persistent dry cough, fever, weakness, a sore throat, and blood poisoning. Most victims died within three days of infection, often in excruciating pain and with swelling of the body.

The Spanish Flu had a significant impact on Austria. The country suffered an estimated 175,000 deaths, including 120,000 military losses and 30,000 POW deaths. Civilian deaths due to famine and disease were estimated to be around 25,000.

The Spanish Flu had far-reaching consequences and contributed to the founding of the League of Nations, the first-ever world organisation dedicated to preserving peace and coordinating international cooperation on matters of global concern, including the prevention and control of diseases.

Malaria

The impact of malaria during World War I highlights the challenges faced by military personnel and the medical community in combating infectious diseases. The large number of cases and deaths underscored the urgency of developing effective treatments and preventive measures for malaria and other diseases.

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