When the germ metaphor becomes prevalent enough to turn it to new ends: “Official statistics indicate that in the United States more children will soon die from automobiles than from measles, scarlet fever, and whooping cough together!” Below: “Macroscopic image of the dangerous pathogens of a new plague called benzinitis that seems to have grown into a hostage of humanity.”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1930)
A Swiss countryman fends off Death with a broom and a shield labeled “No fear from cholera: Good beer may be drunk.”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1892)
“Not enough yet!” (From the Spanish attire we may assume that Death was hoping for influenza to contribute its part.)
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1918)
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1918)
Young Europe: “Hopefully there are nicer toys in the new boxes than in the old ones [war, influenza, Bolsheviks].”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1919)
Mars (to the Spanish flu): “Beginner!”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1918)
Clerk: “What do you want?”
Orientalized crone: “To register.”
“What have you done to that end?”
“Nothing else! I’m just Malaria and it does say in the newspapers that the Bundesrat has decided to extend the change-of-residence obligation to Malaria, too!”
“What is your first name? How old are you? Are you married? Vaccinated? Divorced? You have to fill out everything here; then we’ll see!”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1919)
As always in matters of hygiene, delicate questions of class are lurking in the foreground. I can’t pretend to translate Schweizerdeutsch properly, but the basic sentiment of the fellow clearing his nose seems to be that he’s always said that their hygienic nose-clearing is the best means against the spread of Spanish flu. Clearly the good bourgeois passers-by feel differently.
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1918)
The police in Sommermoll tolerate no unripe fruit at the market; these are immediately thrown away, so that they can do no harm.
Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1892.
“Influenza is also on offer.” Shopping with the Swiss satirical magazine Nebelspalter, 1929.
“If he hadn’t paid rent six months in advance, he would surely have been kept from this tragic death by one of our real estate companies…”
(Nebelspalter, Zurich, 1972)
Announcement:
Flu
Citizens!
No assembly
No theater
“What sort of popular outcry is this?”
“It’s not, they’re just reading the poster where it states that any kind of assembly is forbidden.” (Nebelspalter, 1918)
Influenza wreaks havoc, while the cherub of antiseptic and antifebrile medication is hard pressed to keep pace.
(Nebelspalter, 1890)
“I can’t arrange anything. You’ll just have to send my two colleagues there.” (Plague and cholera)
(Nebelspalter, 1918)
Sic Transit Pestilentia 