New-York tribune., 1916-07-23
Health Department Sees
No Relief Until Cool
Weather Sets In.
1876 MORE CASES;
1924 IN HOSPITALS
Nav Fill All Beds in Ten Days
Reopening of Schools Big
Problem for City.

Predictions Of the health authorities
that figures OF illness and death from
infantile paralysis would show marked
variations from day to day. until the
epidemic was ended by cool weather in
the fall. were fulfilled in part yester'
day.
One hundred and thirty-fve new
cases we're reported 10 the Health De-
partment, an increase OF fifty-four
above the previous day. The death toll
was thirty-nine. seven more than IN any
other twenty y-four-hour period since
the epidemic began.
Every part Of Brooklyn, where
eichty-two cases we're found as against
but thirty-six on Friday, once again
felt the touch Of the disease. South
BROOKLYN. Williamsburg, Brownsville
and the Bedford section suffered most
severely, but here and there in Flat
bush cases appeared.
Twenty-three in Manhattan.
Twenty-three cases were reported
from Manhattan in districts already in
fected, seventeen from Queens, eight
from Richmond and hve from The
Bronx. Oficial revised figures, given
out yesterday by the Health Depart
ment, showed total Of 2,744 cases for
the epidemic. eghty-two more than
previous announcements had disclosed.
Twelve hundred and ninety-four par
Alysis patients, all but very few OF
them children of the tenements, are
confined in the hospitals. The number
of beds available has been reduced TO
1856, and ambulances are bringing in
scores of children each day. Should
the present sweep Of the epidemic not
slacken, every ward now open 10 the
use Of the Health Department will be
filed in about ten days.
The disease continues its spread In
New Jersey, on Long Island and up
state, as quarantine regulations di-
rected by health boards Of many cities
and towns against New York children
are made more stringent. The Health
Department issued 5,225 certificates
during the twenty-four hours ended at
10 o'clock yesterday morning to per-
sons intending TO leave the city. Only
thirteen applications were refused.
Several thousand cards have been
issued by eighteen surgeons of the
United States Public Health Service
on duty at the ferries and railroad
stations. Two surgeons were stationed
at the Terminal Buildings in Cortlandt
Street yesterday, and others will be
detailed within day or two TO the
Thirty-third Street entrance Of the
Hudson tubes.
DR.. Charles Z. Banks, senior surgeon
of the service, said: My men are work
ing from 1880 in the morning until $3.50
at night. examining children and issu-
ing Identification cards. | could use
in the work twenty-five more surgeons
than have"
Cards To Be Given Adults.
II was announced that hereafter the
Federal service cards will be given 10
adults in addition to children, provided
the applicant presents the proper GER
tificate from the Health Department,
stating that he does not live in house
infected with infantile paralysis
Dr. c. II. Lavinder. in charge OF the
laboratory research work Of the Fed
eral service, said yesterday IL was un-
fortunate that quarantine measures
against children from the city were
being made so severe, and declared
that they often defeat their own ends.
at is recognized by every Federal
medical officer" he said, that reason
able quarantine regulations are almost
ALWAYS obeyed, because epidemics
frighten people, but when regulations
are drastic those who wishe TO are sure
10 find some way Of getting around
them. The very severity of the meas
ure induces people TO try 70 get into
the quarantined place. IL is true that
many are kept out, but we find IT
usually happens that some carriers OF
the disease get in.
"Cities and towns have right 10 do
what they wish about local quarantine.
Even the government can't stop them,
but il is outrageous to turn away from
q town people who have no means OF
getting back 70 the place from which
they came Instead of being refused
admittance they should be quarantined
in detention camp or in the houses
70 which they go. If local health au-
thorities stop people from entering
place they SnOulO make IL tncli uubl W
look after the welfare of such people"
Drs. Howard F. Smith. P. NJ. Stewart
and L. X. Thompson, of the Federal
service, were added yesterday 70 DR..
Lavinder's staff.
IL was rumored yesterday that the
schools of the city would remain closed
indefinitely if the epidemic wat not
over by the first week of September,
the end of the summer vacation, and
that the question had been placed be
fore Mayor Mitchell and discussed by
the school authorities.
Health Commissioner Emerson de
clared last night that he had heard
nothing at all about such a measure
and doubted very much II there would
be any necessity for it.
Democrats Call Fete on.
Announcement was made yesterday
that the Downtown Democrats Club
because of the epidemic would omit
Tor the first time in fifteen years its
festival for thousands OF children, a
feature Of the clubs annual picnic, TO
be held September 8.
Figures as to the ages of paralvsis
victims IN Brooklyn and Manhattan
during the present epidemic have been
given out by the Health Department