Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-23
HEALTH CO,.,,MITTEE
REPORTS WORK DONE
IN FLU" EP P|OEt,.|C
Fifteen Thousand Cases Cared tor
at Cost of S32.7S Per
Patient.
MORTALITY ABOVE 5 P. c.

The health committee OF the Whining
ton Defense Council has prepared report
of the work done during the recent epi-
demic of influenza. The report was as
sembled by Charles Topkis, the chair
man, and indicates the strenuous work
done by him and his associates. 1t has
been presented to Mayor Lawson and
reads follows.
Honora BILE Sir:
ON Thursday. September 26th. your
Honor as Chairman called a meeting
OF IN, Council of Defense of the City
of WILMINGTON and selected myself as
Chairman Of the Health Commission
of the said council. with MIR. George
H. Sparks and Judge David T. Marvel
and Mrs Preston Lea. Mrs. Charles
Miller and NtsS Eckman of the La
dies Council OF Defense for the cX-
press purpose of investigating the
Spanish influenza situation of the City.
and II necessary 10 procure Emcr-
geney Quarters. should same tie need
ID as a precautionary measure against
an epidemic Of spanish influenza that
AZ that time waS prevalent through
out the eastern section OF the United
States. and which was spreading with
mmeasurab!e strides through Massa
chusetts. Connecticut and l'ennSyl-
vania.
Immediately after the appointment
of the various aforesaid members to
tire Health Comm ssion. II was suS
gested by MIR. George II. Sparks that
Il meeting bc held. which meeting was
immediately held. all members being
present: and IL was ut this meeting
agreed 10 investigate some buildings
IN the city of Wilmington. II was
decided that Mr.. George II. Sparks
immed .ately look over the Hammond
Laundry Building. and Judge Marvel
and myself investigate the New-Cen-
tlrv club which we did While IN
vestigating the buildings. Il was suE-
aested that we look over the Country
Club at the same time. after which
tae designated members We're TO
report Friday Sept. 27th. at which
tme the Health Committee would
1--we :, meeting Such meeting was
knld. Mayor Lawson and nr Ellie
epod being present. The reports from
Judge Marvel Mr.. George II. Sparks
snd myself we're that the Country
Club. the New Century Club, the Turn
Hail ana the hammond Laundry
buIIainsS were cheerfully given over
10 the Health Committee. should the
Roard Of Health authorities Of the
C'itr of Wilmington feel il WAS ncces-
-ary 70 haye any or all Of these build
ngS At this meeting. il was report
- t. rs ly the Board OF Health ot
this ctS that At that time Spanish !
:nf1uenza had just commenced taking
hold al the public Of Wilmington and
approxin. n.ately 710 cases had been re-
nortc4 but there was no cause for
alarm While the Board of Health |
we're obtaining all data in this City
ID the early period OF this epidemic. !
our Committee were agreed unani-
.aoukIy to g-ve any and all assistance /
.eede,f by the Board Of Health. and /;
at this time. Mr.. John ] Raskoh. |
Chairman Of the Health Commission F.:
of the state Council Of Defense was
present and assured our Committee
that funds would he forthcoming 4
the Board OF Health needed sane.
should there be no visible FUNDS O.
our own TO draw from.
II is necessary TO state a this pont
that great impetus VAS given the
Health Committee by reason OF the
TACT that Mr.. Pierre s. dupont was
kind enough TO turn over 10 the
Health Committee some 2SS bed
eou. .pnlents which had been stored a.
th. Delaware Hospital for one years
time previous to the commencement
Of the epidemic. and which permitted
rs 10 open up the Country Club Hos
pital three hours after II became nee
essarv 10 establish Emergency Hospi-
+.Is Nt1cr praise is due Mr. dupont
fo-. his action inasmuch as II the Com
n1ittee were not II position 10 %
tain necessary equipments as QUICKLY
as thev did. much greater serious re-
suits would have taken place for the
-ack of prompt equipments
on Saturday and Sunday, Septem-
Der 18th and 2Sth respectively. the
Board Of Health kept IN constant
touch with the Influenza situation and
began TO lay plans 70 have the Health i
Committee OF the City Council OF De-
tense to be prepared for meeting any !
acute situations that might arise
Notification was received from the |
Board OF Health authorities that from /
Friday. September 21th TO Monday. I
Septem Der goth 5 O'Clock. 2. m. there I
we're ALREADY in our midst over 1000 I
cases of Spanish influenza. and that /
afternoon, Dr. Ellegood OF the Board !
Of Health called a meeting. AZ which |
ne Health Committee O. the CITY
Council of Defense were s4sked TO be
present
Inasmuch as the Country Club had
reen offered 10 US by the Board Of
Governors of the Country CLUB. Judge
GRAY and Mr.. Henry 7. scott i was
decided 10 accept TINS Offer inl-re-
diately and turn same into an Er'l> r
.,ency Hospital as conditions had be
come very acute
Early Tuesday morning. OCTOBER
fst. Or. Robert Z Ellegood. Mr.. T.
n Wells the health expert Of the
Council of Defense and myself went
10 the Country Club 70 make ar
rangements for the Emergency Hos
,5taI necessities. and by noon OF
Tuesday. october st there were 50
patients brought 70 the Country C!uh
for attention. Developments on
TUESDAY came along ~ an alarming
rate. the number Of Influenza pa
+ients increasing very rapi lily - that
II was decided 70 equip tnc Country
oluD Emergency Hospital y thc full
rsr capacity
on Wednesday afternoon october
end. the Board of Health reported to
our Committee that there were over
10000 cases Of influenza IN the Clty
of Wilmington and great many y
these cases were developing pneumon-
ia Before midnight of this day We
had placed 100 beds at the country