The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-10-15
INFLUENZA SWEEPING
FORTY-THREE STATES
MORE THAN 100000 ILL. THEA
TIERS, THE CHURCHES AND
SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.

Tn one week Spanish influenza kill
cd 5000 persons in the United States.
The epidemic has spread to 43 states
and there were more than 100000
new cases reported. In army camps
alone 23,796 cases were reported in
four days, with death list during
that period of 1888.
In many states theaters, churches,
schools, motion picture houses, sa-
looms and in some cases public res
taurants and soda fountains have
been closed, and will remain closed
till the epidemic dies out.
In Atlanta all public places have
been closed. Eleven thousand soldiers
are quarantined at Camp Gordon,
where there are several hundred cas-
es and have been many fatalities.
East Is Hardest Hit.
United States health service au-
thorities believed early in the week
that the epidemic was at its "crest"
and that the lists will begin to dimin-
ish now.
The total number of cases in army
camps in this country since Sept. 13,
when the epidemic first became
alarming, is reported by the war de-
partment as 1877, sol. 1t is estimated
that the civilian list is more than
100000 cases.
The New England states New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
have been hardest hit in the epidem-
ic. The disease has been most felt in
eastern army camps, swiftly spread
ing to the civilian population. Of the
large cities Boston and Philadelphia
were most affected, hundreds dying
daily since Sept. 20 in each city.
The epidemic started to spread
west about Sept. 25, and on Oct. 8
was reported to have reached the Pa
cifc coast. Drastic measures were ia
ken by the authorities of Washing
ton, Oregon and California, and all
public places where crowds might
gather were Immediately closed.
In Washington, D. c., the epidem-
ic spread very rapidly, largely be-
cause the city is crowded with war
workers. Washington has an abnor-
nal population just now, with per-
haps 100000 more persons in the
city than lived there two years ago.
On Oct. the health authorities of
Boston reported the disease to be
partly checked. The state appropriat-
ed $4,000 for the immediate cree
ton of a large hospital to treat the
victims of the disease. In 81 cities
and towns of Massachusetts on Oct.
there were $3.50 new cases report
ed, with 304 deaths in that period.
New York city was not severely af-
fected and theaters, saloons, schools
and churches remained open.
Authorities Mail" Some Lies.
Silly stories that gained consider
able circulation, charging that the
spread of the epidemic was due to
German spies who imported and cir
culated the influenza germs, have
been branded as absurd by the au-
thorities.
One of these stories was to the eff
feet that pro-German army surgeons
had been caught propagating the dis
ease in army camps and had been
shot at sunrise"
Capt. ]. P. Yoder, of the army in
telligence corps, said the surgeon
generals office had investigated a re-
port that went the rounds of the
camps several months ago that
score or more men at each camp had
been shot by their officers. 1t devel-
oped that this story spread when a
recruit heard an officer remark that
he had "shot 25 men that day" The
recruit took it literally, while the Of
hcer referred to shooting" the men
with anti-typhoid serum.