The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-10-10
CLOSE SCHOOLS
TO HEAD OFF
THE INFLUENZA
Precautionary Measures Taken
Here Because of Epidemic
i'm PascO
SITUATION Is NOT ALARMING
Only Cases Reported are in Home of
C. L. Holcomb, where Patients
are Recovering

As precautionary measure against
the spread of influenza which has been
epidemic in Pasco, Health Officer DR..
Walter Morrison Monday morning
closed the Kennewick schools, and or
dered all public gatherings and all
passenger traffic between here and
Pasco suspended until further notice.
At no time has the situation here
been alarming and it is thought that
unless some new cases develop the
closing order can be lifted the first
of the week. The only cases reported
here are in the home of G. l.. Hol-
comb where Mrs. Holcomb and three
children have been ill. None of the
cases have been serious and it is ex-
pected that all of the patients will be
completely recovered in few days.
The situation in Pasco, where there
were score of cases and several
deaths, is much improved with no new
cases reported this week and no deaths.
When asked this morning if the cases
here were Spanish influenza, DR.. Nor
risontrepii1d that there was no label
on any of the cases, but that there was
no doubt but that the malady was in
fluenza of some kind. As nearly as
the writer has been able to ascertain
if you have influenza and it develops
into pneumonia and you die, you have
the Spanish influenza, otherwise it is
just common ordinary influenza or
grip.
The disease which has been epidemic
in many section of the country for
some time, seems to be working its
way westward and at the present
time schools and public meeting houses
are closed in Spokane, Walla Walla,
Yakima, Seattle and several other of
the larger cities of the state.
In bulletin just issued by the o. S.
Public Health service The disease is
described as follows: 81.
The disease now occurring in this
country and called Spanish Influen-
"a" resembles very contagious kind
of "cold" accompanied by fever, pains
in the head, eyes, back or other parts
of the body and feeling OF severe
sickness. In most cases the symp-
toms disappear after three or four
days, the patient then rapidly recov-
ering; some of the patients, however,
develop pneumonia, or inflammation
of the ear, or meningitis, and many OF
these complicated cases die. Whether
this so-called Spanish" influenza is
identical with the epidemics of influ-
enza of earlier years Is not yet known.
Epidemics of influenza have visited
this country since 1647. 1t is. interest
ing to know that this first epidemic
was brought here from Valencia,
Spain. Since that time there have been
numerous epidemics of the disease. In
1889 and 1890 an epidemic OF influ-
enza, starting somewhere in the Orient
spread first to Russia, and thence over
practically the entire civilized world.
Three years later there was another
flare-up of the disease. Both times
the epidemic spead widely over the
United States.
Altho the present epidemic is called
Spanish Influenza" there is no rea-
son to believe that it originated IT
Spain. Some writer's who have studied
d the question believe that the epidemic
came from the Orient and they call at
tention to the fact that the Germans
mention the disease as occurring along
the eastern front in the summer and
fall of 1917.
There is as yet no certain way IN
which single case of Spanish IN
fluenza" can be recognized; on the
other hand, recognition is easy where
there is group of cases. In CONTRAST
to the outbreaks of ordinary coughs
and colds, which usually occur IN the
cold months, epidemics of influenza
may occur at any season OF the year
thus the present epidemic ragged most
intensely in Europe in May, June and
July. Moreover, in the case OF or
dinary colds, the general symptoms
(fever, pain, .depression) are by no
means as severe OF as sudden in their
onset as they are in influenza. Final
ly, ordinary colds do not spread thru