Evening journal., 1918-10-12

States Public Health Service and OF the
United States Shipping Board who
spent yesterday afternoon and night In
Wilmington, Is engaged In the special
duty Of surveying the epidemic sltua-
ton over the country, with regard TO
recommending the sending OF physi-
clans by the Government to points
where they are most needed, and NOV
ing them to other points as fast as they
can be spared from their present loca-
ton. He has had a wide outlook over
the epidemic, and his remarks on the
local and general situation were re-
ceived with a lively interest at the
meeting yesterday Of the Board OF
Health.
Or. Ellegood, president OF the city
Board Of Health, and Dr.. Frantz, sec
rotary Of the State Board Of Health,
said that the situation was gradually
clearing up in the city and State, but
that the health authorities must not
pat themselves on the back too soon."
Lawyers, Clergymen Heroes.
DR.. Ellegood told Dr. Lumsden that
the cooperative spirit shown by the
people Of Wilmington during this
emergency was splendid. He said that
the lawyers and clergymen, and others
who had volunteered TO do the most
mental work at the emergency hOspi-
tails has saved the overtaXed doctors
and nurses from breakdown. The vol
unteers had worked without stint, but
Il was an amount OF physical labor TO
which the professional men were not
used, and there was danger OF their
playing out from exhaustion. He said
the work Of the doctors and nurses
could only be described by the word
heroic" Because they, too, were
becoming exhausted the need for gov
eminent help was increasingly urgent
even though II was hoped the worst
was over.
Or. Lumsden said he was. sorry the
promised help had been delayed, but
Il was because the government had
very limited supply OF doctors and
nurses. and hundreds OF calls were
coming in daily from stricken places
all over the United States He said they
had not been able to keep up with the
rapid spread Of the epidemic.
DR.. Lumsden congratulated Whining
ton on the splendid work that had been
done here by the Board OF Health and
by other organizations, In fighting the
epidemic. He remarked that he had
visited many communities which had
shown no ability TO use their own re-
sources, and no such good spirit as
that shown by Wilmington people was
present. Persons in these places had
even insisted upon trained nurses for
themselves, although the shortage Of
these Is well-knOwn TO the whole coun-
try. The government representative
praised the work Of the local and State
health boards very highly.
In reply 20 questions asked him, DR..
Lumsden stated that he did not think
climate or seasons had much to do with
the spread OF the disease, because It
was now over the entire country un-
der all sorts Of cllmatlcal conditions
from California to Maine. He did not
consider Il positively known that the
epidemic had started in New England.
Being new disease, and appearing un-
der so many different symptoms In DIFF
ferent cases. the Influenza was apt TO
be unreCognized until numerous per-
sons In a community came down with
It. He thought Il possible the disease
had developed faster In New England
than in other places having II as early.
Speaking on this point DR.. Ellegood
said that he had been greatly impressed
by learning that thee weeks before II
was known that the Spanish influenza
had appeared In Wilmington, foreman
AZ the Pussy and Jones Company plant |
had gone home with a temperature Of |
lOi degrees, and symptoms which
pointed 10 influenza, but which had not
,een recognized as such at the time, or
,ald much attention to.
DR.. Lumsden said that Philadelphia
yesterday appeared 10 be as badly az
ected by the epidemic. as Boston was
Il the height Of the contagion there.
ie had investigated conditions in Ches-
or and found that place as badly hit as
ny he had seen. The housing cOndi-
ions he said were frightful and fav-
red the rapid spread OF the disease,
,ut the authorities there should receive
Ugh praise for the way they were
lighting the epidemic. He found a rapid
Of influenza is most Of the
lrrny camps.
DR.. Lumsden was In New England |,
luring the height OF the epidemic
here. He read o list Of daily deaths
rom Boston, which showed the grad
lal rising Of the wave and It's subsld-'
ng in about the same proportion. The,
ran: 81, q, %, as, 81, so, 81,
100, 105, i56. iii, 1872, ZIP, POP (the
highest number), and then a gradual
decrease down TO iii on October 9. The
'act that the disease was now spread
lver the country, led Dr.. Lumden to
hink that its duration as an epidemic
would be short, as It has little new
territory to feed upon.
Mayor Lawson asked DR.. Lumsden
what he thought of the use of whlskey
Is a remedial agent in the treatment Of
he influenza. The government ply
iician said that his duties had taken
lin away from private practice OF late
'ears, but ne was not inclined to favor
he use of whiskey, there were equally
rood stimulants 10 take its place. He
aid many large hospitals had discon-
inued the use of alcoholic stimulants,
nd that two years ago the American
Iedical Association had removed Il
'om their official list Of remedial
gents. In dry States, they were able
get along without It, On the other
and, he said many reputable ply
clans and hospitals still used alcoholic
imulants. He would not favor the
idden refusal Of It to doctors. because
lysicians who had been accustomed 10
Il would not be as familiar
Ith the action Of other agents and
1uld be handicapped seriously by
dden change.
IRE Deaths Reported.
The family OF Mr.. and Mrs. James A. J
ambers, of No. SOC West Seventh a