Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-05
HEAT FELLS 100
AT HOG ISLAND
Many Launching Specta.
tors Densely Packed About
Stands Collapse
MEDICAL AID MPT
Hospital Ship and Tent Sta.
tions Revive Victims of Heat
and Massed Humanity

One hundred persons collapsed in the
lam in front Of the gra andstand at Hog
Island shipyard set aside for persons
hearing special invitations to the launch
ing of the Quistconck. and they fell SO
rapidly that the shipyard ambulances
had difficulty in caring for them, both
because OF the number of prostrations
and the size Of the crowd through
which the relief workers had to fight
their way to them. No serious cases
were reported.
DR.. ]. J. Reilly. head of the medical
department at Hog Island. said that a
great many of the prostrations were not
caused by the heat, but by the close
crowding Of the mass of humanity that
filled The street In front Of the stand.
many of them trying to gain admit
tance.
As quickly as the ambulance attend
| ants and many of the soldiers who were
| pressed into service could get to the suf-
! focated people. they were rushed to the
| hospital ship and to tent, stations. where
nearly all were revived quickly. Most Of
| them were women. and there were sew
eral children and men.
At the hospital ship it was said the
| patients were being brought in so rap
| idly it was impossible to count them.
Some were unconscious, but others were
able to leave almost Immediately after
| receiving emergency treatment, and
| these were sent home.
The ambulances darted back and
forth, Changing their way through the
crowd either taking the prostrated tc
the hospital and stations or going after
others, but they had more than they
could do, and stretchers were used. the
bearers carrying the victims direct tc
the physicians for treatment. Some were
carried by soldiers, who dropped theii
rifles and. utilizing the instructions they
received In training. made Cradles by
locking hands. In these various ways al
the prostration cases were cared for
and 1t was believed that none OF then
was in a serious condition.
The stretcher-bearers hurried back ant
forth at their work of relieving the hea
) sufferers in full view of President ant
, Mrs Wilson and officials of the ship
, ping board and the Emergency Flee
: Corporation.
, Dozens Overcome in StOClades
, Dozens of persons were overcome b.
Z the heat as they stood in the grea
stockades. Before II: 80 four girls ant
, one man had been Frustrated in th
: stockade specially provided for men wh'
D had worked on the Quistconck and thei
relatives and friends. Many more pros
trations followed and the eight am
balances and fifty physicians and nurse
under direction of Doctor Reilly hat
, all they could do to handle the situa
ton Provision for first aid had beel
made near the scene of the launching
; Ambulances from the Msericorda Hos
pital assisted.
, The stockade reserved for the Quist
, conck builders and their parties wa
> nearest the ship and stockades for othe
, Hog Island workers and their relative
:, and friends were behind this. FIT
thousand Is the estimated number o
, those in the stockades.
a The workers and their relatives an
friends came early and long before tn
n launching the stockades were jamme
full. The crowds assembled ther
pressed forward as far as they coult
craning their necks that they might OF
tain the best possible views of tn
i launching There they stood for NOR
n than an hour, surging forward an
n back, swaying and sweating in tn
brotling sun. Few had brought un
= brellas, but even these suffered. Mos
n of the women wore white dresses an
: the stockades from a little distanc
n looked like great white, rolling cloud
: focked here and there with. black an
l. brown and gray and blue.
Crippled Workmen Protected
f. From a spot specially provided fc
!. them, where they would be free froi
" the jostling crowd and the merciles
. rays of the sun four workmen who ha
been injured while helping to build IL
le Quistconck saw 1t launched. The
s. were carried to the scene in ambulance
u They were Arthur j. Keon and Delan
d Kennedy, both of whom suffered sevel
internal injuries; Leo Mulvey. who.
'e back was broken in fall; and Re
d l.. Thornton. both of whose legs wei
IS broken.
Many of the workers and their rels
ID tives and friends had come before ca
= ing lunch, but the Hog Island commi
sary department cared for them.