Life, 1919-12-04 · page 68 of 80
Life — December 4, 1919 — page 68: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **public health advertisement** by Prudential Insurance, not a political cartoon or satire. The page presents stark mortality statistics comparing World War I casualties (50,000 Americans in 19 months) against influenza deaths (400,000 in 6 months). This comparison emphasizes the devastating impact of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. The bulk of the page displays epidemiological charts tracking influenza and respiratory disease patterns across nine American regions during 1918-1919, showing infection waves, mortality rates, and disease-specific breakdowns by age and sex. **The message**: Prudential offers detailed mortality data to "scientific and medical men" to aid pandemic understanding and response. This represents early public health communication, positioning the insurance company as a data resource during a national health crisis—a form of corporate responsibility advertising common in this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
50,000 Americans were killed in 19 months of the great war, 400,000 a ain succumbed to Influenza in 6 months of the espiratory Diseases Influenza and All Respirator $ Middle Atiantic Cities — Epidemit Derlod eases Influenza and All R piratory Diseases = Lower Ohio Valley Cities — Epidemic Period of 1918 — 1919 5 iscases a d_ All Respiratory Discas: 9) sini [ ‘ine Oe ee ao titiea — Epidemic Period of 1915 —1919 ope Aly Deer Daten dapnnne ond men nent luenz ll Respinn ieee en atom ta Influenza ana All SES pitrspueg Upper mis Sippi Valley Gries eSPiratory Di: eases i jUROSUE ENGR D Oideeed ohio ve All Respiratory Discas Me pdeeite Period of 1915 Influen id All Respir, A atory Dis North Atlantic Cities — Epidemic Penog of 1918 Boston 4 Oth Rates Jrom Defiommnae ont Pocumenia —~ Aortality from dpecified Causes, by ge ond Sax Mnftuenza tow sober: Proumonia Sronchopreumonia and Preumonia ——— sw To scientific and medical men—A set of charts illustrati of influenza mortality available on request. “* Orudential INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA A Incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey =~ FORREST PF, DRYDEN, President ng various aspects HOME OFFICE: Newark, N. Jj