The influenza pandemic of 1889–1890, known as the Russian Flu, swept across the globe, resulting in an estimated one million deaths. This pandemic was one of the first to be extensively documented through telegraphic global reporting, highlighting the interconnectedness of the world during this period. The widespread impact of the Russian Flu prompted advancements in public health responses and increased awareness of the importance of disease surveillance.

The influenza pandemic of 1889-1890, known as the Russian Flu, spread alongside the emerging global telegraph network. This fusion of disease news and modern communications shaped the anxieties of the fin-de-siècle period, influencing Symbolist and Decadent poetry's preoccupation with bodily decay and existential dread.