The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-10
MEDICAL SOCIETY AGAINST CLOSING
 SCHOOLS OE CITY Action of Former Meeting Rescinded and Board of
 Health Praised
ARMY RESTRICTIONS \ FAIL TO CHECK FLU
dornady's Statements Indorsed in Reference to Health Laws, But Defer Action at This Time
 on Legislation

IHe JeHerS0n county Meuicdi dSSocid- tion at it's meeting last night rescinded its resolution favoring the closing of the city and county schools adopted at its meeting Monday night, December ?, and adopted resolution indorsing the action of the board of health in keeping them open. The meeting. however, was not as well attended as the one Monday night One member of the society indorssd Commissioner Hornady's statement that q petition should be presented to the leg islature asking that the health laws be so amended as to make the city ana county board of health independent of the county medical society.
 Dr. J. D. Bowling stated that he did not consider that there is an issue be- tween the board of health and the pri- vate physicians but merely a difference of opinion. He said that he thought they were conscientious in recommend> ing that parents keep their children out of school; that both they and the board of health are working for the same end; namely. the good of the people, and the methods to be pursued. ~
 
 ceived from different cities where influ- Nenza has been prevalent and they varied very widely in the methods they recom- mended for combating it. One city said that the closing of schools, churches and shows had accelerated the rate at which it was spread. Others recommended the closing of places of public assembly and the wearing of masks. Some advised thar no int Ctr no nd places be avoided. The majority, how ever, favored the keeping open of all public places and the wearing of masks This is in harmony with Dr. Bowling s views.
 CITIES COMPARED
 Dr. Bowling said that he had studied the statistics of army camps where rigid sanitary rules are enforced and there has been a greater percentage of deaths from influenza in them than among the civilian population. He said that he had been censured for the course he had taken, but that he is conscientious in it. and were it left to him he would say let everything stay open and enforce the wearing of masks. What good would It do to close up everything and the people be allowed to go about without any pro- lection to themselves or to others?" asked pr. Bowling. The reason that infiu- enza is so hard to combat, said Dr. Bowling, lis because q person has it about 24 hours before he begins to feel bad" ~
 FIRST EPIDEMIC In reference to the prevalence of the epidemic here now as compared with the first time it became such menace to the community, pr. Bowling said that in the first epidemic hospitals, including the Hillman, were packed to their capacity and all of the available ambulances were kept busy all the time. The health de- partment was kept busy all the time an- swering calls, and they found people lying in livery stables and in other similar places because they had nowhere to go and were too sick to sit up. Now. he said, there is not a day that there are not vacant beds at the Hillman.
 We stayed at the office all day last Sunday to answer calls but received only one and 1t was from someone who had become undulty excited over his \ heighbor. The neighbor hadn't sent for us and said that he didn't need any hefp. We have received about dozen such calls within the last few days.