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Swine Flu 1976: What did we learn?

  • Flu PandemicIn February 1976 there was a flu epidemic at Fort Dix in New Jersey. One U.S. Army recruit died.
  • Officially named A/New Jersey/76, the new "swine flu" virus strain was deemed similar to the "Spanish flu" pandemic of 1918 that caused tens of millions of deaths around the world.
  • The Federal government determined that the U.S. population should be vaccinated against the new swine flu, as soon as a vaccine could be developed.
  • By October 1976, 45 million people, 25 percent of the U.S. population, had been vaccinated.
  • While there was only the single U.S. death from the 1976 swine flu, 32 Americans died from complications related to the vaccine.
  • The immunization program was officially halted on December 16, 1976.

Murphy Library holds a number of documents about the swine flu epidemic of 1976:

Larkin, Timothy. "The New Flu: What It Is and What Is Being Done About It."
FDA Consumer. 10:4 (May 1976) p.4-11.
Govt Documents Federal (basement) HE 20.4010:10/4

Swine flu immunization program, 1976 : hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, second session ... April 1 and August 5, 1976.
Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976.
Govt Documents Federal (basement) Y 4.L 11/2:F 67/976

Larkin, Timothy. "Gearing Up To Prevent a Flu Epidemic,"
FDA Consumer. 10:8 (October 1976) p.10-13.
Govt Documents Federal (basement) HE 20.4010:10/8

An assessment of potential behavior in a selected Wisconsin community for A/New Jersey/76 influenza vaccination / by Charles E.W. Regin.
Seminar paper--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 1976
2nd Floor Stacks WS76 Reg

Suspension of the swine flu immunization program, 1976 : hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, second session ... December 17, 1976.
Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1977.
Govt Documents Federal (basement) Y 4.L 11/2:Sw 6/976

The swine flu program : an unprecedented venture in preventive medicine, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare : report to the Congress / by the Comptroller General of the United States.
[Washington : U.S. General Accounting Office], 1977.
Govt Documents, Microfiche Cabinets (basement) GA 1.13:HRD-77-115

Review and evaluation of the swine flu immunization program : hearing before the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, first session ... September 16, 1977.
Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1977 [i.e 1978]
Govt Documents Federal (basement) Y 4.In 8/4:95-50

The swine flu affair : decision-making on a slippery disease / Richard E. Neustadt, Harvey V. Fineberg
U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978.
Govt Documents Federal (basement) HE 1.2:Sw 6

Pure politics and impure science : the swine flu affair / Arthur M. Silverstein.
Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, c1981.
2nd Floor Stacks RA644.I6 S54

Patty Jean Tipton and her husband, Ronald Tipton : report (to accompany S. 1488).
[Washington, D.C.? : U.S. G.P.O., 1984]
Govt Documents, Microfiche Cabinets (basement) Y 1.1/5:98-376

Recommended guide to 1976 swine flu government documents:

The Swine Flu Scare of 1976: U.S. Government Publications
(Bowling Green State University library resource guide)

Government resources regarding the 2009 H1N1 flu ("swine flu") pandemic: