The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-30
USE MORE MASKS
That Will Be Urged When To-
peka Opens Up Again.
Flu Reports Here Continue To
Show Improvement.

That the influenza epidemic is
slowly decreasing seems assured now
There were twenty-five new cases re-
ported in the office of the public
health department today. Reports Of
new cases have remained low for sew
eral days. No deaths were reported
this morning.
| At the emergency hospital this
| morning the nurses were taking care
| of thirty-nine patients. Most of these
| are said to be convalescent, altho sew
eral are at the most critical stage OF
the attack. One patient was released
| this morning. This afternoon three
more patients were taken to the hos
pital. They were in a bad condition.
| and there was no one to take care of
them. A mother and two little chill
| dren were all sick with the disease.
/ The mother was SO sick that she be-
came panicky and was practically un-
| able to follow the instructions of the
attending physician altho she was not
| SO sick but she could have man.
aged it. They tried early this morning
! to be taken to the hospital, which was
| done this afternoon.
| 1t is impossible to obtain the serv-
| ices of a nurse at any price or on any
sort of inducement. Every nurse in
| the city of Topeka is busy and is even.
| spoken for ahead. The same condi-
! ton is true in the cases of practical
nurses and women with some nursing
| experience.
The. emergency hospital is practi-
cally the only place where a large ma
jority of the people Of this city can re-
ceive the proper sort of professional
care.
Miss Nina Rippeth. a Red Cross
nurse, has charge of the hospital dur
ing the absence of Mrs. Bredel, who is
sick.
Outlook Is Bright.
According to a statement made this
morning by DR.. H. L. Clark, things are
looking brighter and more promising
than they have been for many days
New cases still continue to be reported
but not in the large numbers thai
/ have been the case on other days. Or
many days in the pase few weeks one
doctor has frequently reported a.
many cases on his individual report a.
nave been given on the total reports il
the last few days. This is taken as the
most assuring evidence that the dis.
ease is slowly losing its virulence.
However, says Doctor Clark the
danger is by no means passed and will
not be entirely eradicated for many
weeks. Should the number of new
cases remain as low as they have eacf
day SO far this week, on next Monday
the restrictions will probably be rails
Ills, uoWeNeT, IS not TO De tdKer
as the signal for a wild scramble tc
get together. Doctor Clark says ther,
will be occasional cases of influenz;
arising off and on during the next few
; months. A condition of that kind ma,
prevail thruout the winter
1t is hoped by Doctor Clark tina
|. people may be induced to wear tn,
sanitary masks when attending show
and theaters or church or politica
gatherings held indoors for the mex
, several weeks. 1t may look funny bu
personal and public safety is of ia
, greater Importance than is persona
appearance for a short period.
In chilly weather people must dres
heavily enough to be comfortabl
: warm They must avoid being chile
r and getting their feet wet. Cold
make them very susceptible to con
, tracing influenza and a cold on tn
lungs is a condition that is quite likel
to prove disastrous for a patient VIII
contracts influenza.
The weather prediction for the mex
few days offers fair brand of wealth
er and Doctor Clark feels that unde
/ ! these circumstances people can be in
duced to go in more for fresh air an
to keep the windows open both i
: their homes and in business establish
i ments all of which are great aids i
: the suppression of the disease.
: Halloween parties have been place
= under the ban. according to recer
e orders from Doctor Clark OF cours
n such regulation but it is largely up I
d people to use their own judgment an
good sense. The danger to their ow
= lives is much greater than will be tn
t trifi:ng pleasure that will be obtaine
4 by attending party for few brie
e hours which might result in contrac-
ing the fatal disease.