The Man Behind the Mask- Dr. Wu Lien-teh
By-Tay
In China, a lethal disease spread in 1910. This sickness reached a large city called Harban. Tens of thousands of people’s skin turned purple, eventually dying. The people didn’t know how to stop or contain this disease. So they turned to one of the best doctors in Asia: Dr. Wu Lien-Teh.
He figured if respiratory diseases spread through the mouth and nose, they needed to block those organs without blocking the ability to breath. He figured cloth masks could block them while having to breath through the thin but sturdy material.
Government officials put an order to wear masks to prevent the spread and risk of getting the disease. With this new invention, he saved thousands of lives. Within 4 months, the virus disappeared, like it was never there.
When the 1918 Influenza virus hit the world, countries thought that the piece of fabric was useless, not helpful at all. But they then used these masks and they were able to stop the spread of the influenza sickness.
The use of face masks helps prevent the spread of current diseases like the Coronavirus Disease, or all respiratory diseases in general. With Dr. Wu Lien-Teh’s invention, he was able to put a stop to many fatalities around the world.
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