Just before breakfast on the morning of March 4, Private
Albert Gitchell of the U.S. Army reported to the hospital at
Fort Riley, Kansas, complaining of the cold-like symptoms
of sore throat, fever and headache. Soon after, over 100
of his fellow soldiers had reported similar symptoms,
marking what are believed to be the first cases in the
historic influenza pandemic of 1918, later known as
Spanish flu.

The flu would eventually kill 675,000 Americans and an
estimated 20 million to 50 million people around the world, proving to be a far deadlier force than even the First World
War.

Seattle, WA policemen wearing face masks during the
influenza epidemic.  

The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 was a quick burning,
destructive, and chaotic flu that wiped out a large swath
of the world’s population. People were told to wear masks
but in many instances some just straight up refused. It was
all due to the lack of accurate folks research into the illness. 

Historian John Barry explained that during the flu of 1918
there was an extreme amount of disinformation going
around: The press did not treat the 1918 flu seriously
during the outbreak, for reasons that are very different
than today.

Warehouses were converted to house the infected people quarantined.

Soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas, ill with Spanish flu at a hospital
ward at Camp Funston.

Just before breakfast on the morning of March 4, Private Albert Gitchell of the
U.S. Army reports to the hospital at Fort Riley, Kansas, complaining of the cold-
like symptoms of sore throat, fever and headache. Soon after, over 100 of his
fellow soldiers had reported similar symptoms, marking what are believed to
be the first cases in the historic influenza pandemic of 1918, later known as
Spanish flu. The flu would eventually kill 675,000 Americans and an estimated
20 million to 50 million people around the world, proving to be a far deadlier
force than even the First World War.

A nurse treating a patient in Washington, DC.

These surprisingly relevant vintage ads show how officials tried to
convince people to wear masks after many refused during the 1918
flu pandemic.

Mask-wearing was enforced during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic,
but many refused, citing the government mandates as threats to
their civil liberties.
Men needed more convincing to wear masks than did women.