The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-11
Physicians and Nurses Over
worked, Caring for the
Afflicted I'M e dical Men
Give Warning of the Dam
ger Of the Hour-Many
Infracions of Health Reg
uIations.

The Spanish influenza situation In
the wheeling district IL really
alarming, If the number Of deaths
and cases reported during ths past
seventy-two hours Is to be takon
into consideration. No less thnn
twelve deaths from "6ns or pnsu-
monia resulttnR thsrefron have been
reported during tho twenty-four
hours just past, with NO assurance
that there Is to be any betterment
of conditions.
# reports Of physicians, druggists,
insurance companies, undertakers
and others are true there Is an :
alarming increase in the Number OF
cases, and also An tncrease in the
number Of deaths. In Tact" said
web Known local physician yestsr-
day. there arc twice as many cases
during the past few days Is there
were a week or two ago, and We are
at a loss to- know what to do. We
can't handle the number of cases.
they are beyond our power to take
care off,
Another prominent local physician
stated last evening that he had bean
steadily on tho 60 from 7 O'Clock
Monday morning, and at 8 o'clock
last evening he was still augvertng
calls and not through yet. Another
stated that he WAS compelled to 20
to hotel and register under an as
sunled name in order to secure .
little rest, in order to be able to
care for his patients the next day.
Although tho epidemic has been
on here for the past ten weeks,
there has been no Improvement In
the situation, and on the other hand
1t has become steadily worse. Tns
placing Of the ban by the health
department was done In good faith,
but did not. check the disease and
was again Lifted, having proved q
failure in every respect,
But one other solution seems to re
main, and that is to placnrd the home
md quarantine the patients: This
han Wheeling with good results. Cleye
and for ins lance. is using this WIT
Effective results. and many other citie
ire doing likewise. 1t is said that. b.
doing this that the cases are kept wher
hey can be properly cared for.
Shortage OF Physictans.
There is a general shortage OF physt
slams here. owing to the number Of case
low i'll with the disease. while 1t Is i'm
possible 10 secure nurses to handle nal
II the number and as high as $40 pc
week is being charged by. some or IN
At Grcggsvillc tho situation IS yer.
grave. there being about onc-fourth o.
the population iii at the present time
with many deaths The town has ou
about ESQ inhabitants. Moundsville u
also very bad, and the ban is still OF
there. At Mozart there have been man,
deaths and also many cases are report
I'd. while NTarwood, Woodsdalc and EGG
wood, Elm Grove. Triadclrhia and Tn
country district also report their shar
Of cases.
rity's most widely known physicians an
surgeons, yesterday stated TO an. Intel
licenccr reporter that the NUMBER o
cases here were steadily on the increase
and in his opinion there was put on
Eay To check the disease. and that wa
to placard the homes.
Ffc stated that the number OF case!
had continued day after day. and ina
those recovering were not keeping pac'
with those taking sick. and that the sit
uation had practically gotten beyon'
he control OF the physicianS OF the ois
trict. Not only in the city. but also IN,
suburbs arc being hit hard. he SAID. o:
the disease. Unless drastic action u
taken and taken nt once" nc saio. I'M
disease may strike your family am
my family. and then it Will he oroueh
honn 10 us when il is TOO late.
Drug Clerks Busy.
The druggists who were interviewed
stated that they were buster than eve
before. and thai there WAS general IN
crease in tho drug business in inc Pre-
scriptinn line as a result Of the flu.'
There is 4 general shortage OF. prcscI!p
ZION clerks. and unless some ald IS EISS;i
they stated that they would De unapI'
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