The Last Plague

The Last Plague: Spanish Influenza and the Politics of Public Health in Canada By Mark Osborne Humphries In 1918, a devastating pandemic swept across the globe, claiming millions of lives. Despite efforts to prevent its spread, Canadian public health officials were unable to contain the outbreak, which ultimately claimed up to 50,000 lives. This book examines how federal epidemic disease management strategies developed before the First World War, and how the 1918 flu crisis challenged traditional ideas about disease and public health governance. Humphries' comprehensive study draws on a range of archival sources, including government records, newspapers, and military documents, to provide a detailed understanding of the pandemic's impact. By situating the flu within a broader social, political, and military context, Humphries sheds new light on the long-term consequences of this event for public health in Canada. The Last Plague offers a fresh perspective on one of the most significant public health crises in Canadian history, revealing the complex interplay between politics, policy, and disease.