Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-10-25
FLU" BUG CLOSES
STATE COLLEGE
Big Institution Shuts Down in All
Departments as Result of Epi-
dcmic-Quarantine in Effect

AS a result of the epidemic of
Spanish influenza the State College
was closed in all its departments
Monday noon, and a rigid quaran-
tine at once became effective. The
closing OF the big institution as
precautionary measure followed the
receipt Of message from County
Health Officer r, j. Skate of Col
fax, who asked that the college be
closed, stating that State Health
Commissioner futile had requested
the closing of all state institutions
OF higher education until such time
as the influenza epidemic locally will
be under control 1t is Thought prob
able that the epidemic locally will be
under fun control within a few days
and that the period of enforced mac
tiyity of the State College will be of
short duration, the institution to re-
open at the end of that period with
certain precautionary measures in
force.
1t is the concensus OF opinion of
both military and civilian officials at
the college that all regular students
from outside points should remain in
Pullman during the period the insti-
tuition is closed and this point was
urged by President Il. o. Holland in
a talk to the students Monday morn
ing, DR.. Holland urged that it is
the duty of every student, both to
himself and his fellows, to follow
every precautionary measure pos
sible. He asked the students to keep
out of the damp, to wear warm cloth
ing, eat nutritious foods, keep away
from drafts and out of crowds, and,
above all else, to keep off the rail
road trains.
Under the new edict the soldier
students are kept on the campus and
denied the freedom of the city. Those
soldiers who are obliged to leave the
campus for one reason or another
must first secure permit from an
official, which entities them to visit
specified place of business at
stated time only. The regular stu
dents at the same time are refused
admittance to the campus except up
on permit.
According to college officials there
is very little influenza among the
students except in the case of the
last contingent of $50 vocational
men who arrived October s., and
those who remained over from the
second detachment.
The A. T, O. fraternity house has
been fitted up &C hospital to care
for the overflow cases from among
the student body of the college, while
the military authorities have taken
over the S. p. e. house for additional
hospital room for the soldiers.
The largest number of new cases
to develop at the college appeared
Monday and Tuesday morning, the
situation appearing much brighter
Wednesday morning, with a still
greater reduction in the number of
new cases yesterday. Many of the
college cases are thought to have de-
yeloped as a direct result of the fact
that on Sunday a great many stu
dent soldiers while away their leis-
ure time about the campus, sitting
or reclining on the damp ground.
When President Holland visited the
waiting line" of influenza suspects
Monday morning he put the question
direct to the startling large cOntin-
gent Of suspected patients: How
many of you sat or reclined on the
damp ground yesterday" All but
two replied in the affirmative, sus-
tanning the belief of President Hol-
land that this condition had much to
do with the big increase in the num-
Der Of new cases Monday and Tues
day.
Captain l. S. Collins and his staff
of medical assistants have done
heroic work in fighting the epidemic
on the campus. and the chief medical
officer is deserving of much praise
for the manner in which he has han
died the difficult situation, All OF
the critical cases have, up to the
present time, been removed at once
to the Northwest sanitarium, where
they could be given more careful at
tention, this accounting for the large
number of deaths at that institution.
Guards have been placed about the
campus and the quarantine regula-
tfons are belne strictly enforced.