Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-27
GRIP GERMS FLEE
AS STORM CLEARS
AWAY DAMPNESS
Already City Feels Relief With
Coming of Colder Weather
and Clarified Atmosphere.
Deaths of Week 946
HEALTH WARNING ISSUED

The high wind, rain and snow which
drove off the springlike weather of
Christmas Day also smashed the grip
epidemic. according to DIR. Samuel G.
Dixon. Commissioner of Health, by carry
Ing off the dampness and humidity and
replacing it with dry atmosphere.
An immediate Improvement In the con-
dltion of grip sufferers was noticed yes
terday by physicians. despite the fact
that the total number or deaths reported
was ll5. making n grand total for the
week of 946 or nearly double that of the
corresponding week last year.
DR.. Dixon attributes the unusual
amount of sickness and death Indirectly
to the grip. which disease. he says, weak
ems the resisting powers of its victims
to the action of other disease-producing
organisms.
PREVENTIVES NECESSARY.
"The increased death rate during the
prevalence of grip since the 18th century
makes 1t plain that the health authorities
should give preventive measures moro
attention than heretofore" he said in
statement issued yesterday
THE specific poisoning that comes from
the work of the germ that causes this
trouble reduces the natural resistance of
the body to the action OF other disease
producing organisms. Without the grip as
forerunner, that natural resistance
would nave WdEeu u WlilIlllb bdlNio
against such diseases.
TT Is often in this Indirect way that
the epidemic influenza causes the death
roll to double the length OF It's grip col
umn.
"Hygroscopic statistics rather tend to
show n relationship between the disease
and damp weather. Foggy weather often
precedes an invasion of the malady. As
the facilities for rapid and moro general
travel and transfer of merchandise are
increased the organisms that produce the
condition called grip will be more wide
~ and quickly distributed.
"The morbidity and morality from n
great variety of diseases during the epi-
demic go to show it's devitalizing char
acteristc. II great care is not taken.
pneumonia, tuberculosis and other ills are
likely to develop and often terminate in
death II is disease that requires care
full watching under good medical talent"
DAMAGE FROM STORM
The windstorm which smashed the
epidemic of grip, by suddenly clearing
the atmosphere and dispensing the hu-
midity, caused much damage throughout
the States along the coast. The wind
turned to rain and then TO snow yester-
day, followed by temperature at about
the freezing point.
In this city trees were uprooted fences
torn from their foundations, shutters
damaged and telegraph and telephone
wires torn down in several sections
one part OF the city was in complete
darkness last night. Not an arc light
nor electric light was burning in the en-
tire district between Allegheny avenue
and Holmesburg and from 5th street TO
the Delaware River.
At Sth and Norris streets and sth ana
Diamond streets fences were torn down.
while a big sign at the northeast corner
of 10th street and Columbia avenue was
carried half a block before the wind and
wedged in between two doorsteps.
The temperature yesterday was 43 at
its highest and 81 at its lowest point II
was 80 degrees at o'clock this morning,
according to the Weather Bureau, with
the humidity at S3