The sun., 1918-10-14
DROP OF 746 IN new
GRIP CASES IN NY.
Deaths Also Show Decrease Of
AZ in One Day; Pneumonia
Makes Slight Gain.
WILL NOT CLOSE SCHOOLS
Call Issued for 100 Motor Car
VOlunteers-Nurses Make
an Appeal.

A decrease of 1f5 In the numbes OF new
influenza cases and decrease Of ~ in
the death rate from influenza, although
slight increase Ia noted both In new
cases OF pneumonia and in deaths, lends
confirmation to DR.. Royal 8. Copeland's
prediction that the peak Of the epidemic
has been reached hero and is beginning
to subslde. Though the Health Com
missioner does not wish to be too opti-
mistlc he believes the climax Is safely
passed. Every one breathed easier yes
tcrday when the Health Department
figures we're known-except the re-
porters who had in an unguarded mo-
ment accepted DR.. Copelands invitation
to visit influenza wards in hospitals dur
ing the afternoon.
The press was muzzled and gowned in
white wrappers-or romething-that
buttoned up the back and led forth to
the inspection.
Conditions were found to be generally
good. There is much room in the forty
odd hospitals in the greater city for in
fluenza patients and good care Is being
taken of all patients. The only embar-
rassment Is a marked shortage Of nurses
and domestic help. More doctors could
be used in the hospitals
Wards In the Willard-Parker Hospital
contained about 400 Influenza patients,
and DR.. A. J. Dickson, chief physician,
said the hospital could accommodate
possibly 200 more. The death rate from
influenza in this institution has been
surprisingly low. Not more than 3 per
cent. of the cases have resulted fatally.
There are many sailors in this hospital.
Nurses Make an Appeal.
The Municipal Lodging House. which
has been converted into a hospital and
Is caring for more than zoo patients.
presented a rather remarkable sight
Within four days the house has been
made into a hospital. sanitary. scrupu-
lousy clean and carefully administered.
great need for domestic help and
nursing is expressed there. Many Of
the nurses have to do domestic work,
depriving themselves OF just that much
time they might devote to nursing. An
appeal for delicacies and broths from
the people for the patients, twenty-five
OF whom are Chinese from Chinese
ship. and the same number of children
whose parents are poor. Is made by the
nurses There are soldiers there too.
DR.. Copeland asks the rich and poor
alike to come TO the rescue: to nurse and
do domestic work. There are possibly
500 unoccupied beds In the lodging house
that could be used II help Is available.
A boy. Gabriel Shanoff. 439 East Sew
enty-sixth street. presents problem to
Mrs. w. r. Austin. a volunteer nurse In
charge. Gabriel is a year old and con-
valescing. but cannot be sent home be-
cause his mother Is III with the disease
60, L. IN ha
child cannot be sent TO an asylum be-
cause Of the danger OF infection and II Is
hardly fair TO keep him In the infected
atmosphere of the lodging house. No
one has volunteered to Keep him untlf-
he can be returned home. He's bright
faced little fellow and a good baby. the
nurses said.
In the inspection party were DR.. Rob
ert Lee Grant. a Red Cross director;
Major Edward J. Barrett of the United
States Medical Corps. who disappeared
three helpers for the hospital. and Capt.
II, J. Herrick. also of the Medical Corps,
schools to Remain Open.
The emergency advisory committee
met with DR.. Copeland at noon and
unanimously decided to keep the schools
and theatres open. Health education,
which is being followed on an elaborate
scale In the schools, will be intensified.
Inspection OF the children will be moro
rigid, II possible. In order TO facilitate
this work, DR.. Copeland appeals for the
use of at least 100 automobiles with
chauffeurs for the hours starting at S 40
and ending at 10 80 o'clock IN the morn
ing during school days. so that nurses
can be rushed from one school to an
other. There are not enough nurses for
each school TO have one. Children show
ing any signs OF illness are isolated by
the teacher and they must wait for the
nurses examination before being sent
home or to a hospital.
Three registration booths for nurses
and others willing 10 nurse will be
opened Monday by the Mayors Commit
tee on Women's National Defence. Two
will be at the Public Library and the
third in City Hall Park. Free !nstruc-
ton will be given to the inexperienced.
Mrs. James W Musgrove OF Stapleton.
who contracted influenza while driving
an ambulance for the sick and injured
nj the Morgan disaster. died yesterday
She was 4 member OF the Women's NO
tor Corps.
Miss Dorothea Buscher, a nurse In the
Staten Island Hospital in New Brighton.
who had been attending influenza pa
TENTS. died there yesterday.
Condition of the Diseases.
Statistics of the endemic Yesterday