On the flights back from Florida yesterday, I stated reading "The Great Influenza" by John M. Barry. First published last year, I think. Fascinating reading, and I'm going slowly through it, which is very unusual for my normal reading habits. Perhaps it will help answer many of the asked and un-asked questions about these really nasty RNA - type influenza viruses.

I vividly remember the pandemics of 1957 and 1968, which were NOT especially lethal like this one appears to be. The reason I remember '57 so well (I was only 5 and my sis only 3 - the other sibs not yet born): Both my parents were striken at the same time and were completely incapacitated; virtually unconcious. Two little kids wandering around a dark house with a furnace that had to be manually stoked with coal. Good thing that Grandma came by the next day to see why she had not heard from them for 24 hours... I learned how to cook bacon and eggs under her instruction during the days that she nursed my folks back to health.

Tom