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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

'Broncho-Pneumonia'


Mark Hone

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Do Pals think that I am safe in concluding that a soldier described in the CWGC register as dying from 'broncho-pneumonia after gas poisoning and wounds' on 2nd December 1918 was a victim of the Spanish 'Flu pandemic?

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The vast majority of Flu victims in 1918 died of lung infections such as pneumonia but the fact he had been subjected to gas poisoning would have likely damaged his lungs and allowed for infections to set in anyway. I don't think you can be 100% certain that it was Flu.

There's an interesting article on the subject here - http://www.nih.gov/n...08/niaid-19.htm

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I would agree that that would NOT be a safe assumption. Broncho-Pneumonia is a more generic term, and can have several causes. It is not an uncommon cause of death, even today. You don't tell us if he was recently wounded/gassed and died in the hospital. If so, it could be more closely related to these insults than to the "flu". Doc

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Also as he was wounded at least 3 weeks before his death he could have developed pneumonia secondary to prolonged lying in bed (no antibiotics, reduced cough caused by oversedation secondary to analgesics or conversely reduced cough due to pain in abdomen and no chest physio)

He might even have developed pulmonary emboli ( secondary to either blood clots from his legs or fat from traumatised bones).

Add this to gas insult to the lungs (destruction of lining, increased secretions) and I think on the balance of probabilities flu would be less likley to be the cause of death here.

Jerry

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Thanks, folks. I shall just put the straightforward phrase 'broncho-pneumonia'in my tour guidebook and avoid speculation about influenza.

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