pablomorgan
Well-known member
The last swine flu scare in the United States cost the high school principal to lose his job in the town where I worked. It was also the source of what was the worst ? and I think only ? case of plagiarism in my career
Advertisement
It was late 1976. Gerald Ford was president. Detroit had two thriving daily newspapers. And the Detroit Lions had only gone 21 years since their last playoff win.
I was a new reporter in Northville, covering sports, township government and school news for the Northville Record ? or "Wrecker," as the city manager liked to say.
Earlier that year, federal health officials warned of a swine flu epidemic. The secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare raised the specter of 1 million American deaths by the end of the year.
By midsummer, medical folks had calmed down and were confident that a flu epidemic was not forthcoming. It was too late. The government train had left the station.
Ford, in a fight to get his party's nomination (which he won) and to be elected to a full term (which he lost), sought $135 million to research a vaccine.
The Democratic Party-controlled House knew an opportunity when it saw one. It passed Ford's bill, but only after adding $1.8 billion in unrelated welfare and environmental spending.
Stop me if any of this sounds familiar.
The plan to vaccinate 80 percent of the nation nearly stalled when Congress balked at granting lawsuit-immunity to drug firms.
But Congress caved when Ford went on television and essentially said lawmakers would be responsible for paving the streets with dead flu victims. The vaccination program was on.
In Northville, the vaccinations were given at the community's high school, perched on a hill high above Eight Mile Road.
A compliant bunch, folks showed up by the hundreds. In addition to a shot in the arm, they also were shocked by the abysmal condition of the school ? dirty halls, stained walls, leaking roofs.
So many called the next few days to complain that the beleaguered principal ordered his office staff to put all phones on hold so the irritated taxpayers were greeted by all-day busy signals. They were not amused.
(2 of 2)
That was the beginning of the end for the principal. He was gone before the school year ended.
Advertisement
Ironically, the vaccination program was a bust. Skeptical of the government ? it was, after all, post-Vietnam and post-Watergate ? and scared by stories of deaths (unrelated) and paralysis (probably related) suffered by shot victims, only 33 percent of the nation got vaccinated.
The program was discontinued in December.
Not that it mattered much. Even without the vaccines, the great swine flu epidemic was, fortunately, a no-show. In fact, the 1976-1977 flu season was the most flu-free ever since such records were recorded.
I just learned that statistic last week, but I unwittingly stumbled upon a small sample of the story 32 years ago. Since the vaccinations had created such a stir, I did an early spring follow-up with local doctors who reported an unusually mild flu season.
So, for my lead, I wrote that the swine flu vaccination turned out to be the cure for which there was no known disease.
I actually stole that from a late-night television talk show, a fact I shamefully confessed to when the daughter of one of the doctors called me up to compliment me on the line. She had never seen the show. This was before YouTube. Believe me, kids, there was such a time.
The guilt, obviously, has stayed with me. So to clear my conscience, it should be noted that the information in today's column about the 1976 swine flu scare was lifted from a fascinating article by Patrick DiJusto on salon.com
Further, I'm not ridiculing the concern about the 2009 version of swine flu, nor do I dismiss the need for cautionary hygiene habits.
But I just think we should keep it in perspective. So far, the number of American swine flu fatalities is about 36,000 fewer than the 36,000 flu deaths we suffered a year ago.
Rich Perlberg is general manager and executive editor of the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus. You can reach him by calling (517) 552-2810 or at rperlberg@gannett.com.
http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20090503/OPINION01/905030337
Advertisement
It was late 1976. Gerald Ford was president. Detroit had two thriving daily newspapers. And the Detroit Lions had only gone 21 years since their last playoff win.
I was a new reporter in Northville, covering sports, township government and school news for the Northville Record ? or "Wrecker," as the city manager liked to say.
Earlier that year, federal health officials warned of a swine flu epidemic. The secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare raised the specter of 1 million American deaths by the end of the year.
By midsummer, medical folks had calmed down and were confident that a flu epidemic was not forthcoming. It was too late. The government train had left the station.
Ford, in a fight to get his party's nomination (which he won) and to be elected to a full term (which he lost), sought $135 million to research a vaccine.
The Democratic Party-controlled House knew an opportunity when it saw one. It passed Ford's bill, but only after adding $1.8 billion in unrelated welfare and environmental spending.
Stop me if any of this sounds familiar.
The plan to vaccinate 80 percent of the nation nearly stalled when Congress balked at granting lawsuit-immunity to drug firms.
But Congress caved when Ford went on television and essentially said lawmakers would be responsible for paving the streets with dead flu victims. The vaccination program was on.
In Northville, the vaccinations were given at the community's high school, perched on a hill high above Eight Mile Road.
A compliant bunch, folks showed up by the hundreds. In addition to a shot in the arm, they also were shocked by the abysmal condition of the school ? dirty halls, stained walls, leaking roofs.
So many called the next few days to complain that the beleaguered principal ordered his office staff to put all phones on hold so the irritated taxpayers were greeted by all-day busy signals. They were not amused.
(2 of 2)
That was the beginning of the end for the principal. He was gone before the school year ended.
Advertisement
Ironically, the vaccination program was a bust. Skeptical of the government ? it was, after all, post-Vietnam and post-Watergate ? and scared by stories of deaths (unrelated) and paralysis (probably related) suffered by shot victims, only 33 percent of the nation got vaccinated.
The program was discontinued in December.
Not that it mattered much. Even without the vaccines, the great swine flu epidemic was, fortunately, a no-show. In fact, the 1976-1977 flu season was the most flu-free ever since such records were recorded.
I just learned that statistic last week, but I unwittingly stumbled upon a small sample of the story 32 years ago. Since the vaccinations had created such a stir, I did an early spring follow-up with local doctors who reported an unusually mild flu season.
So, for my lead, I wrote that the swine flu vaccination turned out to be the cure for which there was no known disease.
I actually stole that from a late-night television talk show, a fact I shamefully confessed to when the daughter of one of the doctors called me up to compliment me on the line. She had never seen the show. This was before YouTube. Believe me, kids, there was such a time.
The guilt, obviously, has stayed with me. So to clear my conscience, it should be noted that the information in today's column about the 1976 swine flu scare was lifted from a fascinating article by Patrick DiJusto on salon.com
Further, I'm not ridiculing the concern about the 2009 version of swine flu, nor do I dismiss the need for cautionary hygiene habits.
But I just think we should keep it in perspective. So far, the number of American swine flu fatalities is about 36,000 fewer than the 36,000 flu deaths we suffered a year ago.
Rich Perlberg is general manager and executive editor of the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus. You can reach him by calling (517) 552-2810 or at rperlberg@gannett.com.
http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20090503/OPINION01/905030337