El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-10-16
HOSPITALS IN
SCHOOLS, PLAN
Health Board and Red
Cross Cooperating to Care
For Mexican Patients.

Plans are being worked out by the
city board of health and the local
Red Cross for the disqualification Of
Mexican sufferers from influenza. tx
act proposals were still lacking We'd
nesday morning. but DR.. W. L Brown.
chairman of the Red Cross. was con-
siderins converting one or more OF
the schools into hospitals. by tearing
out the desks and installing cots.
At 4 meeting Of the health board.
attended by mayor Charles Davis and
Drs. H 5. White and J. ". Tappan,
Wednesday morning, il was decided
that the city would extend every CO.
operation in any plans worked out
BY the Red Cross and the health
boards.
J. B. Gwln. secretary Of the Asso-
ciated Charities. had also offered his
assistance in the matter.
Aoy school ut Disposal.
Aoy school. with % rooms. is at the
disposal OF the city health board and
the Red Cross for use as a hospital for
patients I'm the lower part Of the city
suffering from influenza At a called
meeting OF the school board Wednes-
cay noon at the office Of vice prcsi-
dent DR.. r. l. Ramey, il was decided
to allow the use Of this building as
hospital
The board was of opinion that IL the
epidemic in the south side becomes
worse additional school buildings may
be converted into hospitals.
May Reopen North Side Schools.
L was the general opinion that the
epidemic has abated sufficiently
among the American population to al
low the reopeninG OF the schools north
of the tracks next Monday, but no
definite action in this matter will be
taken until later. it was decided
Work Dat Complete Plans
Following the action OF the school
board in rendering the use OF Aoy
school for hospital purposes for Mex
leans suffering from influenza com
plete details of the plan were worked
out by the city. the federal health
service and the local Red Cross.
The plan Will be entirely cooper
alive, as follows: The school board
furnishing the building the federal
service, through Dr. j. W Tappan,
supplying the physicians, the Red
? Cross, through Dr. W L. Brown sup
plying beds and materials, and the
city furnishing water, heat and the
like.
Few Nurses Care for Many.
The conversion Of schools into
emergency hospitals was considered
for the reason that It would tend to
solve the problem created by the
scarcity Of nurses, as Few expert
nurses, assisted by nonsraduate
nurses. could care for large numbers
Of patients in that way The plan
would also create more hygienic and
sanitary conditions for the sufferers.
il was said.
4 compilation OF vital statistics at
the city health office Wednesday
morning showed 1l5 deaths from in
fluenza during the week ending NJ
that time Total deaths were 1Sl.
m f-f ~rr
cans and three negroes. Births num-
bered 19-
Mexieans Dying on Island.
County commissioner Henry Her
ring from the lower valley, was in
Ell PasO Wednesday and reported
Mexicans were dying OF influenza on
the island near Fabens. He knew
personally OF about seven, he said.
A report from Fabens was TO the
effect that Mexicans IN extremely
poverty stricken circumstances were
dying in that section and the H D.
Camp Mercantile company was ad-
vancing lumber for making collins.
considering the situation an emer-
gencv and feeling that the county
would remunerate them
Reports continued in all quarters
that the epidemic was disappearing in
the American sections OF Fl Paso.
but still increasing among the Mex
leans.
Seven Civilians Die.
The following deaths Of civilians
were reported Wednesday:
Mrs. Saliie 3. Stein. $40 Bishop
street
Mrs. Mae K. Haigh. 9l2 Dallas
street
Robert letters. from orsicana. Tex.
Miss Helen Jordan Cassidy, S19 East
Rio Grande.
Fabens. Tex.
Mrs. F. E. Sparks. OF 511 East Ne
vada.
Travis Tanner. 500 Federal street.
New Cases are Many.
At Hotel Dieu and Rolston hospital
it was said at noon Wednesday that
there were about as many new cases
Of influenza and pneumonia coming
! in as there had been at the begin
ming OF the epidemic.