The Corona virus (Covid-19), which emerged in Wuhan, China in November 2019 and declared by the World Health Organization as a pandemic (epidemic affecting the whole world), has caused the death of more than 100,000 people in the world so far. In the 21st
century, epidemics spread rapidly.
This speed is the same as the speed of an plane which fly intercontinental. An individual flying around the world can infect someone on another continent within hours even before he shows symptoms.
Human history is not only about wars, the establishment/destruction of states, religious teachings and works of art. There is another very important factor that has been overlooked among the stories of such a state’s existence or extinction.
That factor has the power to write human history not with tanks and rifles, but with microorganisms that can cause mass deaths, such as invisible bacteria and viruses. The world’s history is fraught with numerous transcontinental lethal epidemics (pandemics).
As an example to these; cholera, flu, yellow fever, smallpox, plague, typhus, malaria, measles, polio and ebola. Diseases have always happened throughout history and killed more people than wars.
For example, the number of people who died in the Crimean War between 1853-1856 was 20 thousand, and the number of those who died from infectious diseases in the same period was 75 thousand.
Similarly, while the number of people who died in the War of Independence between 1921 and 1922 was 9 thousand, the number of those who died during the same period was 22 thousand.
Similarly, while the number of people who died in the War of Independence between 1921 and 1922 was 9 thousand, the number of those who died during the same period was 22 thousand. It can be said that even the fall of Rome, which is accepted as one of the three biggest empires in the world, was triggered by the plague. Of course, plague is the most lethal and most painful of all these diseases.
“Plague-Taun” Throughout History
Plague, also known as “black death”, has appeared at different times throughout the history of humanity; it is one of the feared, deadly and mysterious epidemic diseases.
The first major plague epidemic in history was seen in Athens in 430 BC. In this epidemic called “The Plague of Athens”, an estimated 30 percent of Athens people died. The second major plague epidemic that triggered the collapse of the Roman Empire broke out in 161-180 AD and caused the death of 7-15 million people in 20 years.
The great plague epidemic caused more casualties than many wars in history. The effect was so great that it killed nearly 100 million people worldwide in a few years. (This disease known as the Plague among the people is an infectious disease and ended with the discovery of the antibiotic).
The Industrial Revolution and it is Effect on the Spread of Diseases
Industrial Revolution, is a process that started with the invention of the steam machine in the second half of the XVIII. century and caused radical changes in the economic and social structure. This process, although providing some blessings to humanity, has undoubtedly caused some burdens and troubles.
Charles Dickens explained the blessing/burden contradiction caused by the industrial revolution in his book “The Story of Two Cities”. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; It was the season of light and darkness; It was the spring of hope and winter of despair.” he said in briefly.
After the Industrial Revolution, mass production was started by the intensive use of the machine in production. On the other hand, with the use of the steam machine in transportation vehicles, the opportunity to travel cheaply and comfortably in a short time between cities, even countries, and to market the produced goods in other countries has gradually increased. While these are listed on the blessings of the Industrial Revolution, it can be said that on the burden front, the spread of diseases increases with the ease of travel. The world encounters the largest influenza outbreaks coincides with these periods.
Between 1889 and 1890 1,000,000 people died by flu pandemic worldwide.
Medical Revolution
Along with the industrial revolution, there have been three basic developments in medicine that can be accepted as a revolution. The first of these was Louis Pasteur, a French Chemist, to find rabies vaccine in July 1885. The world got acquainted with the vaccine. Then, in a very important invention, it came from Biologist
Alexander Fleming again in 1928 and with the presence of the penicillin, a very important weapon against infectious diseases was obtained.
But the biggest and most important pillar of the Medical Revolution was undoubtedly realized by the discovery of the importance of hygiene by Louis Pasteur. If there is no hygiene, it is not possible to talk about health or fighting diseases.
The Biggest Pandemic of the Past Century: Spanish Flu
This viral disease occurred in late 191, in a military barracks in Kansas City, USA, in 1918. The soldiers caught this flu were short of breath and died within 48 hours. The reason why this flu is called the “Spanish Flu” is because of the censorship of the press in the First World War in America and Europe.
There was no censorship in Spain, which did not go to war. Since the flu news spread from the Spanish media to the world, this lethal flu is called the “Spanish Flu”. American soldiers, sent from the US to fight Europe, spread Spanish Flu to Europe, and the outbreak spread from Central Europe to the Balkans, the Middle East to Iran and India, and even from Scandinavia to Australia and New Zealand. This first wave was relatively lightly circumvented, but the second wave of Spanish Flu that began in the summer of 1918 was far more lethal than the first.
The number of cases increased dramatically when the civilians got infected by the soldiers who returned to their homes after the end of the First World War. Schools, cinemas and churches were closed in the USA and Europe against the Spanish Flu. Wearing a gas mask in the public space and closing the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing are legally compulsory.
The disease hit more young people and was more effective on people between the ages of 20 and 40. About 50 million people died from the Spanish flu worldwide. Considering that a total of 8.5 million soldiers died in the First World War, it can be understood much better how Spanish Flu was a disaster.
Ottoman Empire’s Exam with Spanish Flu
The geography of the Ottoman Empire is always an open area for epidemics. Indeed, like the previous outbreaks, Spanish Flu did not pass without stopping by the Ottoman Empire. According to the Ottoman archival documents, Spanish Flu was first seen in Ottoman soldiers in July 1918 in some soldiers.
It was not easy for the Ottomans, who emerged from the First World War, to fight this epidemic in the absence and poverty. But managers and doctors still did their best.
The main measures taken by the Ottoman Government against the Spanish Flu; the holiday of schools for a certain period of time, the closure of cinemas and theaters, the cancellation of conferences and meetings.
It is not exactly clear how many people died from the Spanish Flu in the Ottoman Empire. It is estimated that approximately 10 thousand people died in Istanbul. In the 21st century, despite all the developments in medicine, epidemic diseases did not slow down and new diseases were added to the list.
Corona Virus Infections
It shows similar symptoms with upper respiratory infections. Types of Corona virus infections, such as MERS and SARS, can be fatal. MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) or ODSS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is a Corona virus infection. The virus that causes this disease is MERS-CoV. Approximately 35-40 percent of patients infected with this virus die. Some bodies can overcome the disease with mild symptoms. There is no risk of disease survivors transmitting the virus.
Corona virus (Covid-19), which appeared in Wuhan, China in November 2019 and spread to the whole world in two months, has caused the death of more than 100.000 people in the world so far. Countries have started to take urgent measures against the Corona virus, which the World Health Organization has declared as “pandemic disease” (the epidemic affecting the whole world).
The 2019 model Corona virus comes to mind a hundred years ago, Spanish Flu, which appeared in 1918 and affected the world. For now, however, it is possible to say that the lethal effect of the Corona virus is much less than the lethal effect of the Spanish Flu, but just like the Spanish flu, the second wave may come after the first wave and its effects can be much more lethal. Because, as is known, viruses can mutate very quickly.
Final Word
A “holistic society” approach is needed to overcome it is outbreaks. In such a situation, besides medical, genetic, microbiological and biochemical factors, ecology, human behavior, demography; it should be taken into account in social, political and economic factors.
Managing pandemic requires multi-disciplinary and multidimensional approaches. While epidemics are medical and social and psychological problems, it is necessary to go beyond traditional biomedical approaches when solving them. Covid-19 is a milestone in terms of global awareness.
Because no pandemic has spread so quickly and the world has not been so harsh with the devastating effects of diseases. It should not be forgotten that nature cannot be withdrawn in any way. Diseases rarely disappear forever. Often rejoins the game at any time and place. It always determines the place and time of this.
Therefore, a cold-blooded approach is needed. This outbreak will also be overcome, but it is absolutely necessary to follow the rules and solidarity in order for this to happen with the least loss.In summary; Throughout history, “pandemic outbreaks” have killed millions of people around the world, and it seems to continue to be.
With it is intercontinental bridge location and its unique geographical location, which is a center of attraction for both commercial and tourism, our country is unfortunately also an intersection point for such diseases.
So none of the pandemic outbreak was transitig to / will not pass in Turkey. For this reason, the candidate to be the most lethal pandemic epidemic the world has seen after the Spanish Flu, has to take very serious measures against the virus.
However, I would like to examine the event from a different point and talk about solutions rather than emphasizing the problem. Because every crisis contains bigger opportunities than it is and it is necessary to read them well in order to protect against the bigger disasters that may come after.
More importantly; It should put the relevant domestic sectors into production rapidly and create certain stocks beyond production for these diseases, which can sometimes take for years.
In addition to domestic hygiene materials (everything belonging to the cleaning sector, disinfectants and related raw materials), centers that produce indigenous vaccines and medicines must be established. Instead of projects with uncertain results, clear targets should be set, and drugs such as antibiotics and painkillers should be made in our country.
This means that the Chemical Industry, especially the Cosmetics Industry, will strengthen after the pandemic. Having the alcohol shortage is the most striking example of this. Production is essential and indispensable.
The importance of selling rather than buying has never been more clearly evident. When the illness is subsides, the deficiencies should be closed very quickly without compromise, but most importantly, this process should be completed by taking into account the scientific facts and scientists.
History is a repetitive repetition and is documented in numbers that tell us “pandemic outbreaks are no joke”.
I wish you a healthy and beautiful world.
References
1– Daniel Panzac, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda Veba, İstanbul, 1997.
2- İsmail Yaşayanlar, “Bir Hastalık Olarak Kolera ve Tarihte Kolera Pandemileri”, Toplumsal Tarih, Ağustos 2018, S. 298, s. 49-55.
3- Laura Spinney, “The Spanish flu emerged as the world was recovering from years of global war”, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181016-the-flu-that-transformed-the-20th
-century
4- FLEMING, ALEXANDER (Eylül 1917). “Flavinin Fizyolojik ve Antiseptik Etkisi (Antiseptik Testleri Üzerine Bazı Gözlemlerle)” . Lancet . 190 (4905): 341-345. doi:10.1016 / S0140-6736 (01) 52126-1.
5- Fleming, A (1922). “Dokularda ve sekresyonlarda bulunan dikkate değer bir bakteriyolitik element üzerinde”. Royal Society B Kitabı. 93 (653): 306-317. doi:10.1098 / rspb.19222.0023.
6- M. Kemal Temel, Gelmiş Geçmiş En Büyük Katil: 1918 İspanyol Gribi, İstanbul, 2015.
7- Murat Yolun, “İspanyol Gribinin Dünya ve Osmanlı Üzerindeki Etkileri”, Yayınlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Adıyaman 2010,
8- Nükhet Varlık, “Osmanlılarda Veba Salgınları”, Toplumsal Tarih, Ağustos 2018, S. 298, s. 30-36.
9- Onur Sadık Karakuş, “Doğu’dan Gelen Ölüm, Antonius Vebası”, Toplumsal Tarih, Ağustos 2018, S. 298, s. 38-41.
10- Recep Öztürk, “1918-1919 Pandemisi”, İstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, 1989, S.20, s.479-484.
11- Watt steam engine image: located in the lobby of into the Superior Technical School of Industrial Engineers of a the UPM (Madrid)
12- Trueman C. “Louis Pasteur”. History Learning Site.co.uk. 20 Mayıs 2015 tarihinde kaynağından arşivlendi. Erişim tarihi: 14 Mart 2014
Prof. Dr. Nazan Apaydın Demir
Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University
Cosmetic Products Application and Research Center
