Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-05
ISSUES ORDER FOR
 CHURCHES TO CLOSE

Dr. George Thompson, the town health officer. and Dr. Edward J. Bro- phy, the city health officer, unite in a notice to churches published this morning that all churches of both the city and town shall be closed on Sun day.
 Dr. Brophy said Friday night that he wanted it well understood that this order was not issued because of any incFease in the number of new cases, for as matter of fact there have been fewer in the last three days than for some time during the Spanish influenza epidemic, but it is because of the fear of the attendance in church of those who are convalescent and still coughing.
 If it could be certain, he continued, that the coughers would stay away from church services, he would not feel called upon to order the closing on Sunday, but six or eight or ten coughers are apt to infect whole con- gregation Last Sunday the churches were allowed to remain open and the public was warned through the news 1 papers that people in this class should 1 stay away. Nevertheless, it was dis 1 covered that a large number did not l heed this advice and there were many
 continuous coughers in every congre- 1 gation in the city, and every one of them was a potential spreader Ca thc 1 epidemic.
 Health Officer Brophy wants to as l sure the people that this epidemic is l on the wane and he proposes to keep | it from getting a new and fresh grip. Many people have become excited and 1 frightened in the last two days over the large number of ambulance calls that they have known about Upon
 this feature of the epidemic Dr. Bro phy said that an investigation con dueted with Supt. F. Leon Hutchins of the Backus hospital had shown him
 that at least 90 per cent. of the cases admitted to the hospital in the last few days had not been for new cases
 but were those who had been sick
 anywhere from four to ten days. Many
 have been eases Of persons in a dan
 gerous condition from pneumonia con
 tracted a week ago. In fact. in thre5
 instances the ambulance was called
 to such cases and reached the house
 after the patient had died.
 At the present time it may be stat
 cd the hospital is taking care of almost
 none but the dangerous cases, and oi
 the cases received on Friday only one
 was a new case.
 It has been called to the attention
 of the health officer that eerta 1T l Norwich physician had stated that ht
 had seen a large number of new case! on Thursday, but if such is the fac he did not report them to tie heaItl
 department. which is in violation c the law. From his own personal ob
 servation and from interviews v%tl
 many physicians. Dr. Brophy said N felt safe in stating that the numbe , of new cases has steadily declined f the past four days.
 The only persons being affected nov
 are those in families whose member ' already have the disease or employe l of factories where those in charge al $ low sick people 10 return to work, thu s injecting others. If this is not stop = ped, drastic steps will be taken. 2 Federal authorities demand and tn | 1 local health officer insists and order y l that the number of new cases be re Q l ported daily. Those who do not obe [, are liable to prosecHfio~
 There is mistaken notion, Dr. Bro T phy said, that persons who are i Il l shuould not be allowed to have an water. This has caused much suffer ?, 1 ing on the part of some sick peopl Il before a doctors advice could be oh tained. He says the sick should b
 allowed to have all the water that the . want to drink.
 In view of the different remedie U required in influenza and pneumoni , and the fact that diagnosis is tn only sure way by which the physicia can prescribe surely, the health office
 has decided not to give any genera III public advice upon treatment ths l. might be followed until a doctor ca 'e be secured, though he has been cor sidering this. It is the duty of II ..- health officer to prevent disease ar not to prescribe treatment for the put s lie after the disease develops, and tn '. is the line that he is working on