this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2026
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HistoryPhotos

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HistoryPhotos is for photographs (or, if it can be found, film) of the past, recent or distant! Give us a little snapshot of history!

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People wearing face masks during the Spanish Flu, California, USA, 1918 (media.piefed.social)
submitted 1 month ago by PugJesus@piefed.social to c/historyphotos@piefed.social
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[–] visch@quokk.au 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Did you research this or are you just guessing?

[–] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I was indeed guessing but there is an interesting read

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/masks-spanish-flu-1918/

'public health leaders rebranded personal care as a display of patriotism and duty to make men to wear masks.'

'In 1927, Edwin Jordan’s definitive study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association as a series of articles and then as a book, determined that masks were effective when worn by patients already sick or by those directly exposed to victims, including nurses and physicians.'

[–] visch@quokk.au 4 points 1 month ago

Thanks!