Quote Originally Posted by spindizzy View Post
My great-grandmother died of the flu in 1918- I understand it was young healthy adults with great immune systems that perhaps reacted "too much" to the virus. And I also understand that there was no way to treat the overwhelming lung infections that resulted in so many deaths - penicillin was not used in humans until 1941.
Antibiotics will only help you if you get a secondary bacterial infection (like pneumonia). Viruses - ala flu, are unaffected by them and are still *very* difficult to treat. We do have some anti-virals these days, but supplies are limited and effectiveness is limited (Tamiflu has a very specific time period that it must be taken in to work). Of course as you probably know even bacterial infections are getting more difficult to treat, with many resistant to multiple antibiotics. If you are hospitalized with flu your chances of contracting MRSA or some other nasty are much greater (especially if you require intubation). If we were to experience a major outbreak like the one in 1918 it is likely that many, many people (young and healthy people) would still die.