Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-08
g l~sn,os Yesterday zssdy 1904
TUESDAY, OCTOBER =, 1918.
Our Worst Epidemic.


The quiet of Sunday emphasized and
gave opportunity for the consideration
of the magnitude Of the epidemic that has
fastened itself upon Wilmington and
Delaware. Never before in the history of
the city or the State have We been brought
face TO face with disease that is so vivulent,
20 infectious, so rapid IN ITS spread, nor
claiming So many victims. Two or thee
smallpox epidemies are recalled ID the
distant past. that seemed disastrous in
those DAYS. but they were local. confined
TO small areas. and promptly controlled
by medical science. There have been
occasional outbreaks of diphtheria which
seemed like an infectious plague, but they
were almost trivial. Possibly the greatest
previous epidemic that has fastened itse.
IIyon Delaware WAS in the winter of 1891
~. when the Russian grip, as it was called,
created grave concern here. But all the
so-called epidemics combined were almost
insignificant compared with the one that
al this moment holds between ten and
eleven thousand Wilmington pcople-an
estimate Of local doctor made Sunday
cvenine-hors du combat These figures
OF victims, however, hut briefly state the
case and the incidental conditions
The fatalities in the present epidemic
sre quite large-about two in every hun
dred is the estImate-so. as the Infection
is spreading at the rate Of more than
ono thousand a day it is Dot difficult to
approximate the total of fatalities.
While the physicians here are loath TO
make any predictions as 10 the outcome
Of the epidemic Oh believe IL has reached
its highest point, but that IL must be a
matter of several weeks before the In
lection will be entirely checked. Such has
been the experience in Boston and other
New England cities where the influences
first made It's appearance. three or four
weeks ago. and has not since perceptiblv
diminished With this experience one
may draw the deduction that the IN
fictitious pneumonia" rs some excellent
doctors prefer TO call the epidemic.
may not disappear for a month.
But there il hope in The statement that
it Is now at It's highest point and viii
gradually sub~idc
Our doctors have been and still are
doing their best TO check the epidemic.
Thcv are working almost continuously
and the nurses arc off duty only long
enough TO get brief periods of sleep. All
hospitals and the temporary treatment
houses are crowded TO capacity, and vet
there are scores of patients who get scant
attention no attention at all.
There are many reports Of whole
families Of SIX or eight persons being i'll
with the influenza and literally without
care except what one sufferer car give TO
another This condition OF almost help
lessnrss. Every Evening is told exists in
many sections. especially OF the east SIDE,
where a large number Of aliens make their
homes aI,d where large families are
crowded into small, unsanitary and
quarters.
Doctors who have gone down into those
sections report that IN not a few cases
they find four or five patients crowded
INTO one bed in small room. and prob
ably three III another-the whole familyill
-tsey must either try to minister to one
another or trust to neighbors who may
brave the fear of infection
and 90 to the rescue.
There is 9 loud call for more care
skcrs They need not be trained nurses,
but women who cap and ARE willing to
with the physicians. There is
no other call al this time so pressiI as
this one for women to nurse the sick.
There are many who could and probably
would do their "bit" here, could they gain
an idea as to the magnitude Of the cpl
jen1lc, the rapidity of the spread. the
number Of victims here, and how greatly
their services are demanded to save life.
While the city and State never before
we're confronted with such a menace as
the present epidemic the essential thing
o do at this juDcture is to realize existing
conditions. and instead of admitting a
sense of fear into ones thought |
~ consciousness, every one do his or her |
,ar, to aid those who so sorely need at
ention and care. We can more often win |
immunity from illness by losing our sense
Il fear through lovingly administering to |
,thcrs.
Meanwhile, LET everybody endeavor to
.yoid undue excitement, take all pre-
;aution TO ward of the infection, and do |
u they can 10 help the heavily over
worked doctors and nurses. In this way |
hey can materially aid in Fastening the
'rigbter day we have reason 70 hope is
ot far away