The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-07
Only A New Cases Up Until
O'clock This Afternoon.
Best Indication That Epidemic
Is on Decline.
HOSPITAL IS OPEN TONIGHT
City Has Charge of Cottages at
Christ Hospital.
Two Deaths Reported During
Night to the Board.

New cases of flu reported in To-
peka up to 3 o'clock this afternoon
were eleven cases less than the num-
Der reported at the same hour Friday.
ported to the city board of health
today at o'clock as against 55 Fri
day. No more deaths were reported
for today except the two who died
during the night.
1t was announced by Commissioner
W. L. Porter this afternoon that Mrs.
c. c. Bailey, superintendent of the
Public Health Nursing association, has
been placed in charge of the Christ's
hospital cottage which was turned
over to the city for use as a flu hos
pital. The wards are open to re-
ceive pay patients tonight.
Two Deaths.
Two deaths had been reported to the
city board of health at $3.50 o'clock to-
day-Mrs. Alice, 119 East Fourteenth
street. and Jack Gleason, III Kellam
avenue.
Special dispensations in regard to
closing time were granted to the stores
and business houses of Topeka for a.
day Under the terms of the supple
mental order which applies to Satur-
day closing only, "all stores now re-
quired to close at 4:30 in the after
noon may remain .pen until o'clock
in the evening. Grocery stores and
meat markets may remain open until
9 O'Clock this evening. Grocery stores,
meat markets, hotels and restaurants
| drug stores, and similar businesses not
affected by the o'clock closing order
| must cease the sale of soft drinks,
| cigars and candies at o'clock
| Authorities are Pleased.
The city health authorities were
much pleased today at the apparent
| effect of the drastic closing orders on
the spread of the flu. 1t is just be-
ginning to show. Today, tomorrow
and Monday, and all next week there
should be a steady falling off in the
numbers of cases reported, the health
| authorities say, for the reason that the
majority of persons who have been ex-
| posed to the disease will either have
contracted it by that time or will have
safely passed the contracting point.
Two Christ hospital cottages have
been turned over to the city board of
| health to be used as an influenza ward,
DR.. Clark said today. The buildings
will accommodate sixty patients, the
| doctor said, and will form an ideal flu
hospital owing to the fact that it is
equipped with both warm. we'll ven
| tilated rooms, and with a full COM
plement of screened porches. Only
patients who are able to pay for their
/, care will be accepted for this ward
| The city health board will be in full
charge. The hospital furnishes all
| equipment including the linen.
| Precautions should not be allowed
to lapse or become lax. The quaran-
| tine of houses where there is a case
| of the disease will be maintained just
as rigid1y as ever, and there is to be
no letup in the efforts to combat the
| spread of the flu. Sunday, all per-
sons are urged to forego any week
end visits to their. relatives and are
urged to postpone any family reunions
until such time as the disease is com.
pletely under control
Many and divers preventives of the
flu have been brought to light in the
last few days. Superstition and the
time tried "fetishes" of the pioneers
have been revived and come into more
| or less common use. According to q
late bulletin issued by the state board
Of health, the best preventive for the
fu is plenty of fresh air, sensible an6
sane methods of living and a genera
effort to conserve ones resisting DOW
ers. In regard to the fetish pre-
ventives, the state board of healtf
bulletin states:
| kansas has an illiteracy rate q
~ per cent and yet there are peopl,
who are not in this class. wearin,
asafetida bags around their nacks o.
carrying lump of camphor in thei
pockets or communicating the atmos
phere with garlic or onion breaths a
a preventive against Influenza vii
the 1anitor please open the window
wider?"