New-York tribune., 1918-09-26
Health Chief Says Again
It's Not Epidemic, but
Rewarns Public
Closing of Schools
Thought Unnecessary
Board Ready to Act at Once
When Expedient, Says
Somers

One hundred and sevcnty-two new
cases of Spanish influenza were re-
ported to the authorities Yesterday for
the twenty-four-hour period ended
when the office of Health Commits
sioner Copeland closed last night. This
fgure is twenty-five above the number
reported for the preceding twenty -four
hours.
The Commissioner is still hopeful
that New York may yet be able to
escape an epidemic. and he is urging
redoubled efforts to halt the inroads
of the disease. The closing OF the
schools in Boston, where influenza is
raging in thousands Of homes, led the
Commissioner to say that no such move
was in prospect here, it being his con-
viction that better results in the way
OF preventing the spread OF infection
can be obtained by keeping the chill
dren in school, where educational
propaganda against influenza can be
kept constantly before them.
School Board on the Alert
Presiden Somers of the Board OF
Education said yesterday that, while
New York was not yet faced by an epi-
demic such as prevails in Boston, new
ertheess the school authorities were
on guard and ready to do anything nee
essary to assist in preventing the
spread of the disease. Eve are ready
TO act ss quickly as that said President
Somers, illustrating with snap of his
fingers
day include ifty-tive in Manhattan.
twenty-eight in The Bronx, sixty seven
in Brooklyn, three in Queens and nine
teen in Richmond In the Brooklyn re
port it was said that thirty-four Of
the cases we're among men in uniform.
Seven Of the nineteen cases in Rich
mond are of inmates of the tubercu
losis hospital at Seavew.
Forty new cases of pneumonia We're
reported TO the Health Department yes
terday. only four of which are influenza
complications Manhattan reported "a
of these Brooklyn. 2; Queens, /; Rich
mond. 3. and The Bronx, none.
Young Most Susceptible
DR.. w. 81. Park, chief of the City Bu-
reau Of Laboratories, and Commissioner
Copeland agree that it is not advisabl
to inoculate against the disease, but it
is urged that all physicians be prompt
in reporting cases that come to their
attention Youthful persons have been
found to be most susceptible to the in
lection. big majority of the cases
thus far reported being found among
thcse between twelve and thirty-seven.
It was reported Yesterday that Nor
wegian American liner had arrived at
an Atlantic port with twenty-five cases
Of influenza among its SGT passengers.
Most of the cases were found in the
steerage. The vessel will undergo thor
ough fumigation before it is allowed to
land its passengers.
At Camp Dix it was announced yes
terday that ninety-eight deaths had
been caused by pneumo-intluenza dur
ing the week, thirty-slx of these hay
ing occurred within twentyfour hours.
Camp Mills. at Mineola, had forty three
new cases and one death Camp Upton
reported 1872 new cases and three more
deaths. Six thousand cases are under
treatment at Camp Devens, Massachu
setts. while the total deaths there mum
bered eighty in the twenty four hours
ending yesterday.
New England Hardest Hit
Boston and cities in Eastern Massa-
chusetts, Rhode Island and New Hamp-
shire seem to be the epidemic centres.
The latest reports from the Hub fiX
the number Of cases there between
10000 and 5000. While influenza is
prevalent III Connecticut, 1T has not
reached epidemic proportions, as only
1000 cases have so far been reportc d
in the state.
Charles Andrew Ditmas, president of
the Kings County Historical Society, is
in critical condition at his home, 60
Amersfort Avenue, Flatbush. He is
suffering from pneumonia. The attack
followed Influenza.
Franklin D. Roosevelt. Assistant Sec
retary Of the Navy, who has been i'll
With pneumonia at the home OF his
mother, Mrs. James Roosevelt. ~ East
Sixty-tifth Street. is considerably inl-
proved.