Evening journal., 1918-10-19
INFLUENZA GRIP
IS NOW BREAKING
Continued From First Page !

inere were 81 certificates filed at the
Board Of Health between yesterday noon
and 10 O'clock this morning, Of deaths
in the city due to influenza or pneu-
monls, with other death reports com
ing In.
That the death certificates fled within
given period are no indication OF the
number of persons dying within that
period, may be seen from a study made
last night Of 2s city death certificates
hled yesterday at the Board Of Health
oilice. OF "a Of these certificates show
ing influenza or pneumonia as the cause
OF death, only two Of the victims died
yesterday; six on Thursday: eight on
wednesday; five on Tuesday; two on
Monday. and one last Sunday.
fumigation Is the point which the
city Board OF Health wishes most
strongly to Impress upon Wilmington
today.
The Board OF Health urgently re-
quests that all public gathering places
which We're ordered closed on October
?, be at once fumigated. cleaned and
thoroughly aired There is an especially
good chance to do this now without
inconvenience TO either patrons or
proprietors, while the buildings are
closed. II Is a precautionary measure
which viii prevent any possibility OF
a return Of epidemic conditions. No
body desires this scourge 10 sveen
over the city again, brincing sickness
and death and making another shut
down OF public gathering places ne
cessary.
The Board Of Health further requests
that all sick-roOms, where influenza ma |
tlents have been cared for, be at once /
fumigated. No amount Of srubbing or
cleaning will kill influenza germs.
The counsel given to private families
by the Board Of Health. Is TO burn a
formaldehyde candle, which can be pur-
chased at a druggists, in every room
IN which influenza patients have been
cared for. All bedding, clothing. fur
niture, everything which has been ex-
posed to the contagion by contact with
the sick, should be placed In the room
TO be fumigated, and the room should
be closed tight while the formaldehyde
candle Is burning This does not mean
that closing all doors and windows Is
sunlcient. All keyhOles. spaces between
door and floor, window crevlces should
be stuffed tightly with cotton. The
process Of fumigatiOn should go on In
the room for five hours or 50. No per
son should be in the room while Il Is
fumigated.
There have been hundreds OF mild
cases which have not been given a doc
tors attention, and in view OF this the
Board OF Health fears that families NAV
not realize 1t is just as important 10
'umigate after mild case OF influenza
IS after severe one. A severe case can
be caught from germs left by a mild
case. Hundreds Of thousands Of the
germs walt In the sick roem bedding
md furniture, and in the clothing of the
'eeoyered patient, ready TO attack the
healthy persons in the family. Probably
everybody in the city has noted the
startling way in which the endemic a
las spread through entire families C
when once IL got lodging In a house 4
losing Order Continues. n
There Is no telling when the closing
rider can safely be rescinded. say the II
leaith authorities today. Certainly not y
vhen the death rate Is es many times d
Dove normal as II Is at present they &
d. The city may make up its mind 20 r
mother closed week, the way things IA
,0k now. re
The Board OF Health thinks an over q
ing closing Better than a premature tr
pening, which would bring back the a
lidemic and make a second closing
der necessary.
Newspaper office telephones, In this 3
", used TO be bombarded with,
What's the score ?" but the question
wv shot over the ofilce phones at
'ief intervals Is, "Milen will the clos
3 order be lifted?" Members OF the
Dard OF Public Education were OBJ -.
rived at the Board Of Health offices /
st night, inquiring, when do Won
ink -w but at that interesting
)int In the conversation, the door 10 |
.e inner sanctum was shut. The min
ters Of the city have displayed a com
endable common sence which should /
, an example to those Of their Phila-
slpha brethren. who are hectoring
le Philadelphia authorities to open
iurches even though the epidemic Is
ill at a high point in that city. n
One man called up local newspaper
ice so persistenily 10 know when the
lurches and schools would reopen that
aroused the curiosity OF the report
5 as TO his identity. They investi- II
sted ana FOUND that ne was a saloon |
seper. Evidently the man feared crit Il
ism II he inquired when saloons could
open, and took this roundabout
ethOd OF finding out.
The Board OF Health announces that
hen the closing order is lifted, all
iblic gathering places will be opened
the same time. Churches and schools
III not be opened any sooner than
eatres or saloons. They would be
uaily dangerous as spfeaders Of In
,tion. d.
aid in the fight against the
demic has been given by the VII
ngton Canteen Service OF the Red
'ss The women composing the n
vice have been kept busy supplying is
three emergency hospitals with ice ,ro
am, fruits, jellies, fresh eggs, Gig bas bD
IS. magazines. stationery and stamps IN
the coayalescents. This was un- =
AIKEN in addition 10 the regular work and
lelping the soldiers at army head ''-0
rters and at Pigeon Point. -
le number OF influenza cases in
city is still in the thousands, with