The sun., 1918-10-27
GRIP DEATHS DROP;
COPELAND HOPEFUL
Days Increase of $40 Cases
Due Largely to Delayed Re-
ports, Says Official.
SEES EPIDEMIC END SOON
Hospital Patient Ends Life by
Leap-Priest at Kings Park
Loses Injunction.


713 new cases Of influenza and an in
crease OF 1917 new cases OF pneumonia
compared with the table of the previous
day. Or. Royal s. Copeland. Health Com
missioner, explained yesterday that the
increase In figure cases is due to the ac-
tivity Of the authorities in getting more
OF them reported than heretofore. and
that In reality the epidemic Is decreas-
ing. Deaths yesterday were sixty.six
fewer than on Friday from these dis
eases
The true state OF the epidemic is best
reflected In reports from social agencies,
relief centres and hospitals--all OF which
report a decided falling of in the num-
Der Of new cases.
Many Of the cases embodied in yes
days old. The various agencies engaged
in reporting them certify to It.
Had the Health Department known
from the first the true state OF affairs
and conditions thousands OF persons
would have been saved from illness. and
III many eases ueaNn, Ut. IopeldHu De-
lieves: for the department could have
had the original cases isolated and at
that time when the cases were few could
have nursed them adequately.
The end Of the epidemic is looked for
very soon by DR., Copeland, who feels
very much grat!aed with the state of af-
fairs obtaining now.
Worst IL Apparently over.
I'VE are probably through the worst
of the epidemic" said the Commissioner
Deaths are decreasing In number. An
other indication Is that the school at
| tendance remained stationary this week /;
| II had steadily decreased up to this time
Hospitals report a falling OF in demands
| for beds and they are dlscharging more
patients daily than are received. There
are yet a number of nurses needed for
home nursing"
Dr. Copeland says it is OF absolutely
| vital importance that the physicians re-
port cases, for though this epidemic may
wane and die, there may be others OF
other nature.
| There are many eminent men who
| predict that conditions OF the war may
| bring to these shores trench fever,
| typhus and cholera" he said in explapa-
ton. We must profit by every lesson
| that this epidemic has taught US so that
we may develop In, this city methods for
| dealing with some more serious epidemic
| that may occur"
There are SO many families in distress
because OF influenza In Queens that the
| citizens have organized for relief work.
There will be three centres In the Dor
ough. one at 10 Anable street. Long
Island city another at the United Char;-
| ties Headquarters in Flushing. and the
| Women's League for Service In Jamaica.
Nurses are needed badly. Soup kitchens
will be opened in Elmhurst 10 supply the
needy, and in cases where they canno,
come for IL the hot foods will be taken
! to the homes of the victims,
| The New York Telephone Company is
again requesting the public to limit its
calls TO those absolutely necessary. Many
personal calls are being eliminated. The
traffic Is yet SO heavy with the depleted
stan that 1t is burden upon the OPP
orators remaining at their posts.
Grip Patient Jumps to Death.
James O'Shaughnessy, 81. n laborer
400 Pearl street, jumped from window
in the Willard Parker Hospital. Six
teenth street and East River. and died
! instantly. He was ~ OF influenza and
in delirium. While the nurse was at
tending other patients at the far end OF
tHe WaTu he HlaHdBtu 10 UTeak MS way
through the window guard and fell 10
the pavement below, a drop OF abou;
twenty feet His neck was broken
Mrs. Margaret Fox, wife of Frank
Fox. warden OF the workhouse on Black
wells Island for the last twenty years
died in her home there OF influenza yes.
terday.
The application OF the Rev. John I. x
Smith. pastor OF the Roman Catholic
Church of st. Joseph. Kings Park. l.. J..
for an injunction 10 restrain the Towr
Board OF Smlthtown from enforcing q
resolution forbidding all public gather.
ings during the Influenza epidemic was
denied yesterday by Justice Benedict OF
the Supreme Court, The action makes
It impossible for Father Smith to hold
services in his church.
The resolution was passed on Thurs.
day. Members OF the board yesterday
testified that conditions In the township
OF Smithtown. as result of the In
tiuenza epidemic, were 50 bad that the
emergency measure OF closing public
places had 20 be adopted. Father
Smith protested that the town executive,
were infected with epidemic hysteria,
and that the disease was not prevalent
in Smithtown.