Researchers and scholars looking at historical pandemics frequently study the communities that were strongly affected by these various occurrences. However, this fascinating digital archive from the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School looks at seven communities during the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic that experienced low rates of influenza during this period. Drawing on the expertise of a team of scholars, they decided to focus their efforts on places such as the San Francisco Naval Training Station and Bryn Mawr College. Visitors can click on any of the seven communities to read an extended essay about each location, and they can then look over dozens of primary sources from the period. These sources include internal planning reports, newspaper articles, and other items. Overall, this collection is a tremendous find, and is one that should serve as an inspiration to other institutions with similar interests.
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