Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-17
THURSDAY, OCTOBER Il, 1915
MAGNIFICENT Work.

Now that the plague Of Spanish inh-
enza the most dangerous and dcvast-
ating visitation Of the KIND in this coun-
try ever suffered is showing encouraging
signs of abatement, it is in ordc to review
the doings Of the past few weeks and
give credit where IL is justly deserved
for some of the grandest, most effective
and most self-Sacrificing work ever known
in Wilmington Il forms q record that
will ever remain the most brilliant chapter
III the history Of our CITY
With three wcIl-cqurped capahl>
conducted hospitals and a corps OF able
and experienced physicians, the city Of
Wilmington was III good shape - combat
the ordinary invasion Of disease. and 10
handle an unexpected epidemic Of ordi
nary proportions But the prevailing
epidemic WAS Of extraordinary pro por-
tion~. and II fell upon the community
with i crash that was simply paralyzlng
a, first Hundreds Of patients were
ercatcd in a Single dan and the physicians
were fairly run of their feet il cndcavors
10 give them even casual attention
Owing to the lnsidious advances oi
the infection. many cases were fairly
prccipitatcd upon the doctors and the
hospitals al ono time This was duo to
the fact that hundreds Of victims care
less and ignorant Of heir complaint
gave little attention to what they be-
heved to he only ordinary colds unui
they were rendered helpless Ii Was
impossible 10 attend 10 all Of them. The
hospitals were quickly filled to capacity
Then il was that the great, phllanthropic
and helpful spint of the community
became manifest. and vas displayed ii
good works
The Country Club and the New Ccniur>
Club buildings were quickly converted
INTO emergency hospitals Nos having
been built with any such purpose il
view. c<pcdicnts had to bc rc-orted to.
hat the bc~t u>c of existing conditions
vas made and tho rcsalt was tLctairand
reasonable accommodation VI iargc
number oi patients 1T each institution
MANY of these natients, however Wero
IN dangerous condition Oh ARRIVAL md
TIN. fact accounted for the unusual num-
bcr Of deaths for awhile Bui tho Gar,
and attention bestowed upon MI brought
good results in recovc1c~ and dIsInissals
The arduor~ work 81 operating these
impromptu hospitals was purcil voluntary
and the manner in which men and women
from al walks Of life those Of high
social position as well aS humble workers
willingly and cheerfullv volunteered
their services was most inspiring All
the necessary labor much If il menlal
and unpleasing vas effectively performed
by volunteers What the community
owes these willing workers what debt
of gratitude the stricken victims owe
them. can never ID estimated But il
was magnificent
Other heluGl agencies also were es-
tabbshcd, including tile quickly con
structcd hospitals at tho building oper-
alton Of the Emergency Fleet Corporation
and 1T several industrial establishments
These were operated most successfully
as the workmen al these places. a. soon
al thev become affected acre taken TO
the hospital, and placed under careful
treatment This resulted II keeping the
death rate down oasurpr9ngIy i low point
All our physicians ana nurses worked
nobly, some Of them falling IN their
tracks by illness borught about By their
labors
Altogether the thrilling experiences
of the past few weeks in this city were a
revelation They reflect the highest
credit upon the people Of Wilmington