The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-23
THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.
FORCES MOBILIZED TO COMBAT
DISEASE IN THIS STATE.
Public Health Service, State Health
Board and Red Cross Unite Forces.


Public Health Service, State Health
Board and Red Cross Unite Forces.
Columbia, Oct 20.-An important
development in the fight against the
| influenza epidemic now raging in the
State took place yesterday whep DR..
c.. Y. Akin, past assistant surgeon
United States public health service,
| was detailed by telegram from Sur
geon General Rupert Blue to take
charge, in cooperation with the State
health officer, of preventive and relief
measures for control Of influenza. DR..
Akin has been in charge of the de-
partment of veneral disease control
but for the past week has been. work
ing with the State health officer in
| close cooperation in efforts to check
as much as possible the spread of in
huenza over the State.
Tnere are three agencies now co
operatively engaged in fighting the
disease. DR.. J. II. Hayne, State health
officer: DR.. C. V Akin of the United
States public health service and W. l.
Spencer of the Southeastern division
| of the American Red Cross all are
bending their energies in efforts tc
stay the disease and to give aid in the
shape of physicians, nurses, medlca:
supplies and food wherever they are
needed.
Calls for assistance will reach DR..
J. a. Hayne of the State health board,
and he in cooperation with DR.. Akin
of the United States public health
service, can quickly respond. About
100000 has already been appro-
! priated for influenza control under
the public health service and undel
the authority granted, Dr. Akin can
appoint physicians as temporary Off
GERS to serve anywhere in the State
The Red Cross, also in cooperation
with these other two organizations
can help immensely.
| Following is a copy of the telegram
received by DR.. Akin from Surgeon
General Blue:
You are hereby detailed in charge
of preventive and relief measures 10!
cooperative control Of influenza in the
State of South Carolina. You will I'M
mediately confer with the State health
officer and carry out the following
measure so far as necessary III close
cooperation with him; nominate avail
able physicians as acting assistant
surgeons, compensation $500 per
month with travelling expenses and
s.! per diem subsistence, and place
them on duty, transferring them tc
localities in the State where needs
are especially urgent. Wire imme-
/ diately all appointments. Make a re-
| port of the situation daily and make
/ recommendation regarding c1erica
assistance and any other expenditure
required. Where nurses or hospita
equipment are needed, request should
be made to this Office for transmit tc
Red Cross. You should communicate
! with State representative volunteer
medical service corps for names an6
addresses Of available physicians ir
lfhe State"
| State Health officer .Hayne was
also notified by Surgeon General Blue
that DR.. Akin would be in charge OF
service m asures for the cooperative
! control Of influenza in the State ir
| close cooperation with DR.. Hayne.
The payment of the salaries and
expenses Of the volunteer physicians
appointed under the public health
service will be in charge of DR.. Akin
| pursuant to the following telegram
from the surgeon general, the work
however, being in charge of Drs
Hayne, Akin and Mr.. Spencer.
Reference telegram 18th, financial
matters governing payment of volur-
teer physicians salaries and expenses
under Akin, as he has organization to
| handle this. Letter follows
DR.. Akin also received the followins
additional telegram from the surgeon
general:
/ Forward without delay nomina-
ton Of physicians and employees en-
gagged under authority from bureau
for influenza epidemic. Submit pay
rolls promptly and instruct physi
clans to forward individual expense
accounts, giving such Instructions ir
this particular as is necessary. Blanks
will be forwarded"
Dr. Akin said yesterday that from
reports received at the Office it seem
ed that Ellenton in Aiken county
| GreeleyviHe in Williamsburg county
Newry in Oconee and McColl in Marl.
| boro and Charleston were suffering
noro severely from the epidemic thar
other sections though there has beer
little perceptible weakning of the
disease in other counties.
The trend of spread Of the disease
seems to be from the Piedmont to the
Pee Dee and q general survey of the
situation shows the disease to be
rapidly injecting every part of the
State, the trend also being from the
| cities to the rural sections. DR.. Akin
believes the situation is gradually ap-
preaching it's crisis and that the crest
has already been reached in severa.
IA