Fearing a repetition of the worldwide 1918-19 influenza pandemic that cost 548,000 lives in the U.S. alone, President Ford last March called for the inoculation of virtually all Americans against swine flu. His announcement had all the fervor of a declaration of "war, and Congress promptly authorized funds for the largest public health measure in U.S. history. But the flu campaign has run into one roadblock after another. Last week it appeared close to total collapse.
The threat was an impasse over who would protect the vaccine manufacturers against a possible onslaught of lawsuits....