The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-25
Considerable Improvement in
Influenza Situation.
Twenty-Three New Cases Re-
ported to Health Board.
FUNERALS WILL Be REGULATED
City Will Place Guards on Duty
If 1t Is Necessary.
Governor Offers Use of Man.
sion as a Hospital.

A big drop in number of new cases
of influenza was reported in the office
of the public health department today.
The report shows only twentythree
new cases. This is the lowest morn
ing report that has been received in
two weeks.
One death was reported. Manuel
Saveda, Mexican living at lib
Adams street. died early this morn
ing. The death of SaYeda brings the
total number of deaths since the out
break of the epidemic up to sixty
Many complaints have come to the
city offices that churches, under
takers and families were disregarding
the statewide order regarding the
number of people that may corgre-
gate in any one place, while conduct
that at several funerals in churches
and in undertakers' chapels there
have been crowds of friends number
ing from so to 200. This is in direct
very dangerous to the people who are
members of the assembly.
Regulate Funerals.
unnecessary difficulties in the con-
duct of private funerals" DR.. H. L.
Clark. city health officer. said this
morning. but these regulations must
be observed even at funerals. Under
takers and churches must not allow
any persons except relatives and a few
very close friends to attend the services
if they are held in churches. resi-
dences or in undertaking chapels.
When large groups of friends or lodge
brothers attend funerals in a body
they must remain outside the build
ing. While large groups are not per-
missible anywhere the danger is great
" 1aSGaTnh VII an q
out of doors at the cemetery.
May Use Guards.
'If the thing can be controlled in
no other way" says Doctor Clark. 'it
may become necessary for this depart
ment to send some member of our
staff to attend each funeral to see that
the regulations are carried out
Use Executive Mansion.
This morning Governor Capper
phoned DR.. Clark offering him the use
of the executive mansion as an emer-
gency hospital or to be used as an an
mex for the present emergency hos
pital. According to Commissioner Por-
ter the hospital has never needed more
room as badly it has needed more
nurses. Not all the space available at
the emergency hospital has ever been
put in use as the staff of nurses was
not sufficiently large for them to be
able to take care of an increased num-
| ber of patients which would have
made a great deal more space to cover
than could have been done by the
small staff of nurses. However. should
the necessity arise the executive man
sion could be used as an emergency
hospital.
55 Patients There.
At present there are fifty-four pa
tients in the emergency hospital. Two
will be released today. Four or more
patients were taken to the hospital
this afternoon. The question of han
ding couvalescent patients has be-
come quite a problem. There is some
talk of esta blishing a convalescent
room in the emergency hospital
where recovering patients may remain
while regaining sufficient strength tC
permit them to resume their every Cay
activities 1t would be possible to use
the executive mansion for this pur-
| pose, as the convalescents do not re-
| quire the constant attendance of the
/ trained nurses and could be left ir
| charge of less experienced attendants