Skip to main content

Home

Main navigation

  • Explore the collection
    • Search the collection: RecordSearch
      • What's in the collection
      • Defence and war service records
      • First Australians
      • Immigration and citizenship
      • Cabinet
      • Intelligence and security
      • Prime ministers
      • Search for people
      • Visit our other websites
      • #ArchivesAtHome
      • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
      • Getting started
      • What's in the collection
      • Using the collection
      • International movement records
      • Research centres
      • Research guides
      • Research grants and scholarships
      • Research agents
      • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
      • Classroom resources
      • School visits
      • Teacher professional learning
      • Virtual excursions
      • Student research portal
      • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
      • Getting started
      • Building trust in the public record
      • Public release schedule
      • Ask for advice
      • Information governance
      • Build data interoperability
      • Check-up survey
      • Legislation
      • Manage information assets
      • GAIN Australia
      • Standards
      • Metadata
      • Records authorities
      • Federal election 2025
      • Learning and skills
  • Visit us
      • Events and exhibitions
      • Research centres
      • Our locations
      • Cafe Constitution
      • Venue hire
      • Contact us
  • About us
      • What we do
      • Support us
      • Employment
      • Who we are
      • Partnerships
      • Volunteer
      • Our services
      • Members
      • Media and publications
      • Contact us
  • Toggle search
  • Toggle menu

Offscreen Menu

Menu

MAIN MENU

  • Explore the collection
    • What's in the collection
    • Defence and war service records
    • First Australians
    • Immigration and citizenship
    • Cabinet
    • Intelligence and security
    • Prime ministers
    • Search for people
    • Visit our other websites
    • #ArchivesAtHome
    • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
    • Getting started
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • International movement records
    • Research centres
    • Research guides
    • Research grants and scholarships
    • Research agents
    • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
    • Classroom resources
    • School visits
    • Teacher professional learning
    • Virtual excursions
    • Student research portal
    • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
    • Getting started
    • Building trust in the public record
    • Public release schedule
    • Ask for advice
    • Information governance
    • Build data interoperability
    • Check-up survey
    • Legislation
    • Manage information assets
    • GAIN Australia
    • Standards
    • Metadata
    • Records authorities
    • Federal election 2025
    • Learning and skills
  • Visit us
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
    • Cafe Constitution
    • Venue hire
    • Contact us
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Support us
    • Employment
    • Who we are
    • Partnerships
    • Volunteer
    • Our services
    • Members
    • Media and publications
    • Contact us

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died.

Some records include terms and views that are not appropriate today. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives.

A room with desk and chairs and cataloged books shelved on bookcases around the room.

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Students and teachers
  3. Newspaper illustration of precautions against Spanish Influenza

Newspaper illustration of precautions against Spanish Influenza

Newspaper illustration showing 7 well-dressed men and women wearing face masks.

Details

Learning resource record

Creator:

Charles Nuttall and Department of Health, Central Office

Date:

1919

Citation:

CP567/1, Box 4

Keywords:

  • cartoons

About this record

This is a newspaper illustration published in 1919 by cartoonist Charles Nuttall showing 7 well-dressed men and women on their way to a church service wearing face masks to protect them against the recent Spanish influenza (flu) outbreak. The caption below the drawing reads, 'Melbourne, February, 1919. No Sir–These are not Anarchists en route to a rendezvous. They are really nice people, going to attend a Sabbath evening Church service.'

Educational value

  • The illustration depicts the preventative measures being taken and the atmosphere of fear caused by the arrival of the deadly Spanish flu pandemic in Melbourne. Government authorities had put in place strict quarantine procedures in order to limit the disease. As a consequence of these effective measures, the Spanish flu did not reach Melbourne until December 1918, some months after it had already swept through Europe and many other parts of the world.
  • The face masks were part of the preventative measures taken by the government to limit the spread of the influenza pandemic. It was compulsory to wear masks in public places, and passengers were refused access to public transport without them. Schools were closed and sporting events were cancelled. Soldiers returning from the First World War were quarantined, in some cases for months, before being allowed back into the country. Many public activities such as cinemas and races were banned or restricted.
  • The illustration shows people wearing face masks on their way to a church service. With public meetings of 20 or more people prohibited, churches had to adapt in order to hold services. Masks had to be worn by all churchgoers and some churches held their religious services outdoors. The ritual of sharing a common goblet of wine in the service of the Holy Communion was often replaced by the practice called 'intinction', in which the bread is dipped in the wine.
  • The illustrator likens the well-dressed people on their way to church to 'Anarchists' – political agitators opposed to the governments of the day and responsible for staging violent acts such as bombings – for comic effect. Their faces are covered by what appear to be homemade half masks except for one man whose whole face is covered. The act of covering one's face is usually equated with having something to hide, such as one's identity when engaged in lawless or terrorist-like activities.
  • The 'Spanish flu' was so called because Spain was the first place the outbreak was noticed in 1918, and it killed 8 million people in Spain alone. Between 1918 and 1919 the pandemic was spread across the world in 3 waves by soldiers returning from the First World War. Mainly affecting young healthy people aged 15–35 years, the pandemic killed at least 20–50 million people worldwide, more than the total number killed in the war. In Australia, some 12,000 people died.
  • Charles James Nuttall (1872–1934) was an artist, cartoonist and journalist who contributed to the Melbourne Punch and to the Sydney Bulletin. Due to colour-blindness, he specialised in black-and-white or monochrome drawings. This cartoon bears his typical signature, 'Nuttall'. He made his living from etching, painting, writing and illustrating books, postcards and comic drawings. In 1901 he was commissioned to create a painting of the first federal parliament of Australia, depicting as many dignitaries as possible.

Acknowledgments

Learning resource text © Education Services Australia Limited and the National Archives of Australia 2010.

Related themes

Theme

Newspaper illustration of precautions against Spanish Influenza.

Epidemics and quarantine

Australia’s geographic isolation and strict quarantine laws help guard against diseases. Epidemics, including influenza and the bubonic plague, have taught us important lessons about managing disease.

Theme

Marilyn Rowe prepares to perform Swan Lake with Australian Ballet, Canberra Theatre.

Arts and fashion

Australia has a distinct cultural identity and style, enriched by our multicultural society and the strong influence of First Australians.

Need help with your research?

Learn how to interpret primary sources, use our collection and more.

Get help

Acknowledgement of Country

National Archives of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging.

Connect with us

  • Facebook Facebook
  • Instagram Instagram
  • X X
  • Linkedin LinkedIn
  • YouTube YouTube

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site map

  • Contact us

    • Contact form
  • For researchers

    • RecordSearch
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • Ask us a question about our records
    • Getting started with your research
    • Research guides
    • Grants and scholarships
    • Our other websites
  • For government

    • Agency Service Centre
    • Check-up survey
    • Building trust in the public record policy
    • Getting started with information management
    • Information governance
    • Records authorities

    For students & teachers

    • School programs
    • Plan a school visit
    • Competitions and special programs
    • Learning resources
  • Shop

    • Browse our products

    Visit us

    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
    • Admission to the Archives is free
  • About us

    • What we do
    • Our organisation
    • Our services
    • Our history
    • Partnerships
    • Work for us
    • ABN: 36 889 228 992
National Archives of Australia
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of information
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
National Archives of Australia