Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-12
EOALLACK MAKES
PNEUMONIA JUMP
Physicians Plead in Per-
son for Patients Fuel
Supply
BLAME ADMINISTRATORS

Seventeen new cases OF pneumonia
were reported to the Board of Health
today. in addition to to3 reported yes
terday. many Of which are attributed to
the scarcity of coal.
More than forty physicians personally
visited the Offices Of the local fuel COM
mittee yesterday and many more went
there today 10 plead for coal for their
patients.
In cases where physicians were unable
20 make their appeals in person coal
was refused. This action, according 10
Fuel Commissioner Francis a. Lewis,
Was due 90 many abuses OF physicians
certificates
Many physicians expressed their dis
approval today OF the edlct OF the conf
mission compelling them TO plead the
cases of their suffering patients In per-
son. 1t il too much TO ask said Or.
j. d. Albright. who has Offices in the
Perry Building II was besiegad all day
yesterday with patients but 1t was phys
icaily impossible for me 10 personally
appear before the committee
1T Is most unreasonable request,
declared DR.. Bayard Knerr, throat and
lung spsL .alist. of Twelfth and Spruce
streets. Or. Raymond ]. Harris. of 1Si3
South Broad street. declared that lit Is
wholly impracticable TO keep physicians
coming to the fuel or..ce. 1t cannot be
done without great inconvenience and
often jeopardizes the lives Of our
patients"
Action was taken by Mr.. Lewis today
to decrease the waste in the overheattng
Of hotsis ana apartment houses By pc
tidoning the Federal Administration at
Washington TO fix standard tempera-
ture Of 6S degrees which the hotel and
apartment house owners must not ex-
caed.
Anything above this is pampering
oursslVes," Mr.. Lewis said, and this
wasting Of coal by hotels and apart.
ments and the shifting or windows must
be storped"
Many persons in Souths and West
Philadelphia visited the fuel Office today
ana complained about Tho scarcity
While everything possible is being done
to relieve the situation. Mr.. Lewis de
elsred, tho relief will have to be oh.
tained temporarily from the corner gro
Gerry store after Saturday. when the
graded scale Of prices for coal In bags
goes into effect. Groccrs ard small
dealers will then be able to sell the con-
suner twenty-fve-pound bags for six.
teen cents and eighteen-pound bags fol
eleven cents.
The latter size bags will be sold b!
peddlers for thirteen cents. and Mr.
Lewis said today that the psddler shcul'
be encoursg ged in the present situation
because of the scarcity of drivers.
Dealers are evidencing great anxiety
over the future, 1t being declared tina
unless some form of relief 10 obtained
once there will be intense suffering Il
January and February. IF 1 got 50
tons daily for the next month | woult
still be forty-fve weeks behind in IN,
orders" one dealer declared today. Gov
ernment action is being urged by th
dealers in the hope of obtaining bette
shipments 10 tho city.
The work OF Government experts IN
Washington. who are now engaged ir
ascertaining the costs to retail Goa
dealers, may frustrate move by Phiia'
delphia dealers TO increase prices about
hfty cents n ton to the consumer.