On August 27,  1918 Boston became acquainted with the epidemic that has gone down in history as the “Spanish flu.”  A more accurate name for this disease outbreak might be the “Boston flu,” because our city is where this influenza variant mutated and first turned truly deadly.  The first cases of this new and deadly disease were reported in South Boston 100 years ago this week.  Soon, Boston would suffer nearly a thousand deaths per week as the disease peaked. Before it was over, up to 20% of the world’s population would be infected.  With up to 100 million people killed, the 1918 flu was the most deadly disease in human history.

Show notes: http://HUBhistory.com/095