The sun., 1898-12-25
GRIP VICTIMS INCREASING
The Epidemic Prevailing to an
Alarming Degree iu
This City.
NO RESPECTER Of PERSONS
Ii Attacks the Rich aud the Poor
Alike, and the Physicians are
Almost Exhausted Attending
to Their Many
Patients.

A number of prominent physicians
were interviewed Yesterday afternoon
and they stated that there is no apparent
lessening in the hold taken upon the city
by the present grip epidemic:
Two deaths are so far laid up against
the score Of the unwelcome visitor. they
being Turnkey Lewis Hammerer, OF the
Police Department, and William II. Tom.
linson, aged q years, OF No. IL Head
street. The latter died on Friday with
pneumonia, superinduced by grip.
These deaths. following SO closely the
outbreak of the grip epidemic, give a
faint idea of the severity of the intlu.
enza's attack. Physicians in all parts OF
the city are having hard time to make
the rounds of their grip patients alone.
Many of the doctors themselves are down
with the disease, thus giving the duty Of
looking after their patients to their more
healthful brethren.
DR.. Harrison w. Howell, is one Of
these unfortunates, but is is now thought
he is out of danger and is on fair road
to recovery.
Many school children were unable to
attend the Christmas exercises which
were held on Friday in various public
schools because of the grips attack,
while teachers and pupils alike view
with JOY the beginning of the Christ
mas holidays as affording them chance
to recover from the disease.
Chief of Police Dolan says the police
service is still badly crippled on account
of the grip, and almost every substitute
officer in the service is working, some of
them being impressed into outside dis
tricts, where the available working
force is insufficient to cover the beats.
Motormen and conductors, too, are
heavy sufferers. The latter class place
the prevalence of the disease among their
number to the draughts to which they
are constantly subjected.
''It is no wonder that street car men
contract the grip" said Market street
conductor, when one considers what
we 60 through in the way of changing
temperatures. The interior of car is
much warmer than platform, and when
we go in to collect fares and then come
out into the air, it is enough to give any
man the grip.
Besides, the atmosphere of street
car, when the door is closed, is anything
but pure, and if there is any disease
about the trolleys are about the greatest
conveyers of germs know Of. Besides,
there is quite draught blowing through
the car directly on the conductor. 1t is
not SO much air itself as the sudden
change from heat to cold, and working
in stuffy Car, that lays us up"
Amongst those who are confined to
their homes as the result of the grip are
William S. Hilles, Frank f. Croney, OF
the Third Battalion, First Delaware Vol
unteers; United States District Attorney
Lewis G. Nandegrift, Mrs. W. c. John
son and daughter, Mrs. L. J. Collins, Of
No. 1913 Delaware avenue; Rev. L. p.
Harris, OF Scott M. +. Church; Rev. 7.
A: McCurdy, Central Presbyterian
Church; family of Phillip r. Clark, Pa.
trolman Frank Kane, of the Police De.
partment; James Kelly, large number
of the employees Of Pullman Company
and others.
Mayor Henry C. McLear and Prothon.
otary Wooley, who have had the grip,
are SO far improved that they are able
to be out.