Life, 1920-01-01 · page 47 of 48
Life — January 1, 1920 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or a cartoon**, but rather a public health infographic—an insurance company advertisement masquerading as educational content. The page compares American deaths in World War I (50,000 in 19 months) against influenza deaths (400,000 in 6 months), documenting the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. The data includes death tolls by city, age-based mortality pie charts, and a weekly death-rate graph showing the epidemic's sharp October 1918 peak followed by a sustained plateau. **The satirical point**: The Prudential Insurance Company presents this grim mortality data as "scientific and medical" information available "on request"—essentially using a devastating public health crisis as marketing material to demonstrate their actuarial sophistication and reach. The implicit message to potential customers: we track death rates carefully; trust us with your insurance needs. For modern readers, this reveals how the 1918 flu killed more Americans than the entire war effort, a fact often overshadowed in historical memory.
📄 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. j ae onns 400 000 ead auocampad to Influenza in 6 months of the Deaths from Influenza and All Forms of Pneumonia P ; Seat Hh, 1918 fo March, 199, int Forty Six American Cities Deaths Accordin ( US. Census Reports ) Greater Hew York 31960 Karasas City,Ho. BBR? oe Paul Loo to Age Priladelphiz E2566 Denver 4848 YFaCuse 1027 Chicago B65 Providence 1622 Richmond. Vat 995 New Yon hip Sept StoNov OMY Boston OWS Milwaukee L586 eersey City % G4 Ty Pittsburg 5698 = Seattle 1929 Coluinbus, O. 938 “opt ne enze wd (Pree Baltimore 4962 Portland, Ore. 1425 Pil Rider, Mass. 02 Wotig Cleveland | 4405 Stinnedpolis 4293 Neshitile C94 Sen Francisco 3785 Rochester,NY 1274 Toledo eS Bours SOS Oakland 4234 SMtlanta & New Orleans BIS Worcester, Hass 122? Semphis % S05 Angeles: 5195 Loutsville 4206 SMbany, NS Washington,DC. 316 Brraunghems 1/80 Dayton, 0 buffalo 3005 = Indienapolis% 1/49 Combritge, Sass. 698 Newark, Ne 20038 = New Slaven 4/41 Sowell, Mass. Ciactaneatt 2263 Omaha t 4/33 Spokane % Complete Date Not Received. Grand Repiags Weekly Death Rate ee American Cities Combined ° BABI? IB? I BBO? MH ABOAU BEE (15 RIE DROS RBAS OWA 7 Hw etemier October November December VUenuary Februory _farch pri] Say Sune To scientific and medical men—A set of charts illustrating various aspects 4 of influenza mortality available on request. ee Drudential INSURANCE COMPANY CF AMERICA Incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey FORREST F. DRYDEN, President HOME OFFICE: Newark, N. J. comicbooks.com