The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-17

The epidemic of grip. which has for the
past TWO weeks been prevalent in Wash
ington. seems to have lost none OF its
force Il the twenty-four hours ending
At noon yesterday, there occurred i've
deaths from grip or complications follow
ing that disease Since last Saturday
there have been eleven deaths in all from
the ailment and other complaints induced
by it
Major Sylvester. of the Metropolitan Po-
lice Department. yesterday received com
nunicatiOns from several of the hospitals,
which asked that the police be especially
watchfuI concerning cases which they
send 10 the hospitals. 7 seems that dur
ing the present epidemic Of grip many per
SONS have applied to the police and ask
ed 70 be sent to the hospitals. when they
were able 10 care for themselves. As a
result, the public wards have been filed
10 the limit and unfortunate persons. who
were Ill and really unable TO procure and
pay for medical attendance, could not be
cared for on account OF lack OF room in
the wards in many cases. additional
beds nave been placed IN the public wards
The epidemic has made deep impress
sion on the Police Department. At pres
ent there are more policemen absent from
duty on account of Illness than ever be
fore at one time in the history of the
department. All told, there were yester-
day seTenty-fye members Of the force on
the sick roll, including Captain Austin
and several sergeants. This makes the
work Of the department unusually reavy,
and many Of the patrolmen are obliged 10
do extra duty.
More policemen are i'll in the Fifth pre-
cinct than any other. fifteen being on the
sick roll. This is not especially surpris-
ing when IL is remembered that the south
east section, in which the Fifth precinct
station IS located. is considered the most
unhealthy portion of Washington. The
Second precinct is next in line. with a
total Of thirteen cases. while the Third
precinct has ten At the First precinct
station, which is in the business section
OF the city, there are eight DIuecoats af-
hicted with the disease. The precincts
least affected are the Eighth and Ninth
and this IS doubtless the result Of their
location in the Outsk rts of the city far
from the river. the damp air from which
is an active aid TO the contraction of
colds and lung disease Of all the cases
Of illness among the policemen, none is
considered alarming although several
have been IN a serious condition from
pneumonia, which was broua ut on by grip
The Fire Department h. been some
what weakened by the grip a number
Of the fremen are absent from duty on
account Of the disease but as far as can
be leTaned none Of the cases IS serious.
Local physicians are still kept very
busy attending TO the many cases Of grip
but some of them say that they are not so
h Ena
When the epidemic first made its appear
ance in Washington. it was said by many
physicians that +, was not likely the dis
ease would assume the serious aspect
that il had in years gone by. AS far as
the malignant nature OF the aiInent is
concerned this is found to have been
true prediction The epidemic is how
ever, fully as widespread as il has ever
been. and there are more cases in Wash
ington today than during any previous
epidemics- The absence of cold weather
has, perhaps, been one reason why many
eases have not assumed a malignant form.
The house physicians at the various
hospitals report, as q rule, the cases under
their charge are not Of 4 serious nature.
Many OF the cases. they say. are of very
short duration. Patients are taken down
with grip. which is brought on by a cold
or a chill They may be quite sick for
day or so, and then recuperate almost as
rapidly as they were seized N case COM
picatiCns. such as pneumonia pleurisy,
OF heart trouble. are brought on the case
may assume a serious aspect Il is from
such complications that the deaths geneT-
ALLY accredited to grip result.
There are about thirty cases Of grip at
Providence Hospital OF this number there
are only 8 few which are giving the at
tending physicians any trouble. and each
Of these cases grip has been followed by
lung disease.
None Of twenty cases Of grip at Gar
field Memorial Hospital is considered
serious Az At many Of the other hos
pitaIs Jung disease has been q common
complication resulting from grip
Al Homeopathic Hospital there are ten
cases Of grip. None OF them is regarded
with any apprehension by the hospital ply
sicians
The free dispensaries at Casualty Hos
pital and Emergency Hospital are daily
visited by large numbers Of poor people,
Eafsri.b-s Ha.rza,, Fr1,-