Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-04
EXPECT BOARD TO LIFT
INFLUENZA BAN TO-DAY
DIR. Flanagan to Appear Before
BODY TO Reitcrate His BE.
lief in Safety.
CONDITIONS NOW ARE NORMAL
Health Department Statistics Show
Malady tn Have Kccedcd From
Epidemic Stagc-Claimed go Dur,
ing Octobcr-Soup kitchens Close

Appearing in person before the Adj
nin!strative Board this morning at 10
o'clock at the regular session. DIR. Roy
X Flanagan. Chief Health officer, is
expected TO stand by his two former
recommendation that il is safe to re-
open public, assembly halls which were
closed October . TO curb the epidemic
OF spanish influenza.
Il is further expected. health cord
tons having been practically normal
;ra,ive Board viii efIecutate at once
tho recommendations from Dr.. Flanma-
gan.
20 return from Charlottesville, where
he is attending his brother. Captain
;. l. FiannaSan' who has been II!
stood o Tor the bird time assure IS H"' the
Administrative Board that Spanish in
;iucnza has SO far receded from the
fyondi,i.!eon Of an epidemic as 70 make
theaters. and other public places.
There is a variety OF feeling in the
persons are OF opinion that it will be
criminal 10 permit public gatherings for
Il few days yet aud take n chance on =
secondary endemic. Al least rs many
absurd 10 keep things shut tight when
conditions have become practically nor
NAL again, and most. If not all. other
cities in similar conditions have
think there is no danger IN doing so,
PUBLIC CHtFES UNDER
LONG RESTRICTtON
There IS considerable chatting under
restriction 1T present. Persons inter
estcd in attractions and other affairs
OF public nature have been reasonably
patient, It is generally thought, since
the Administrative Board adopted the
accommodation Of DR.. Flanagan on
October !. But health conditions pull
ing in one direction and financial con-
.gs.s ,,, tNnH-
trough; matters to a ci!mox. There
fore, definite action by the board was
extensively anticipated yesterday.
Goes ,H on N without fear that the ban viii
is growing rapidly that the Admins
reopeuiue The people are interested
in the action OF the board from count
less reasons, and intend to take advan-
iace OF open. doors. II such becomes III"
case. i evidenced by many telephone
calls TO new spapcr Offices inauiring if
su1h ami SUCH u thing would he per-
Contrary TO expectations Saturday
and earlier in the week. the houses of
W%Tshp m@intn 1dn %m6rGisn 'Reir
oven If the Administrative Board should
lift the ban to-day. il will amount to
compelling churches TO remain closed
a week longer than other public places
1t is not thought that such an uninten-
tioral Discrimination will influence the
i a
convinces its members that il is safe
10 open doors, and that such being the
case ii should do so for economic rea-
sons.
PLAQUES TOLL IN CITY
go DURING OCTOBER
During the month of October there
were .S2 deaths in this city. The num-
ber OF whites was AS: the number OF
co!ored persons 325 OF the ISe, span
tsh influenza provoked the death OF
$40. More than - per cent OF the
deaths here during the month resulted
from the epidemic.
Statisticians III the City Health De-
partmcnt say that conditions have been
almost normal for the past three or
four days. On tho eth there were
twenty deaths; eSth sixteen; 2?th. eight;
3otn, six. and 3lst, fourteen. This
Geat! rate remains slightly higher than
normal.
Conditions have become SO improved
that soup Kitchens opened In various
churches for feeding influenza patients
Wcr. closed Saturday. The Kitchens
were under The direction of the IN
structire Visiting Nurses Association
~ the climax of the scourgc there
ware thirty-.ight kitchens in operation.
Fo' the worst Two weeks about $50
patients We're served daily. Valuable
aid was rendered by volunteer work
crS and those who lent their automo-
hiles and drove them in the interest Of
the public health.