"As with the gauze masks, Hassler could claim that with the Leary vaccine the city had the most advanced science available to protect its population. "The serum offers the only remedy," he asserted, "and we are taking advantage of it."[47] Local politicians as well as medical authorities, unsure of the pathology of influenza, grasped at straws during the fall and winter of 1918 and 1919 and they embraced almost any measure that instilled hope of curbing death rates. Wisely, the media in San Francisco published what seemed to be scientific evidence for the vaccine straight from Dr. Leary that substantiated it as a legitimate public health tool: "In treatment (of influenza) it is most valuable in large doses (up to two cubic centimeters) in the beginning of the disease."[48] Later studies proved the Leary vaccine to be useless in curing influenza, but Rolph and Hassler capitalized on the gap in scientific knowledge during the period to further their efforts to enhance the city's reputation....Taken from: Medical Manipulation: Public Health as a Political Tool in the 1918-19 Influenza Epidemic in San Francisco
Some snake oil salesman in San Francisco.
Small city then. There were always those around, and they still are. Pushing some imaginary treatments right now.
Not a global vaccination efforts. 99.999% people in the world were not vaccinated to any degree, being it by snake oil or not, so this had no effects in the big picture.
Yes, people tried all kind of stuff, it was a desperate time. Most of the treatments were not very helpful, but mostly harmless.
Anyway - this was purportedly serum, not vaccine. That’s a big difference. The first somewhat useful vaccine for flu came in 1938, 20 years later.
I am just flabbergasted by this guy, who blames Spanish Flu deaths on “faulty vaccine” when there was none available. Just stunning!