Historical flu precautions

On last night's Case Notes, they looked at some coverage of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. Not only did the newspaper report encourage people to keep reasonably calm and not worry too much, in sharp contrast to today, the following "practical precautions by a medical correspondent" were offered:

• Keep a stout heart. Don't expect to fall sick.
• Eat as well as possible. Drink half a bottle of light wine or a glass of port at dinner.
• Take a hot bath each evening on returning from work.
• Smoke in moderation.
• If there is any tendency to sore throat, consult a doctor at once.

How times change....