The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-21
DEATH IN COLLEGE.
William Potter Dies Following
Attack of Influenza.
Heart Failure Direct Cause,
DIR. jeffrey Says.


pita1 at Washburn college, the whole |
town has apparently turned topsy- |
turvy and run wild with the idea that |
the college authorities are trying to |
conceal the true state of affairs at the |
college, both in the barracks and in
the infirmary. ~ |
Taking into consideration that there
are nearly 800 male students at the
college enrolled in the Student Army
Training corps, it appears that the
death rate at the school among the
male students is just one-third of one
per cent. And from the story told to-
day by DR.. A. E. Jeffrey, surgeon in
chief of the corps infirmary and hos
pitai. the one death reported, tho
traceable directly to the Spanish in
fiuenza, was directly caused by heart
failure. an after complication disclos-
ing itself after the patient had regis
tered a normal temperature for two
days.
Dead Student Not Indicted.
The one death SO far at the Wash
burn student army training corps hos
pital is that of William Potter, a stu
dent from Mayetta, Kan. Potter had
not been indicted into the military
service OF the United States at the
time of his death on account of some
delay in the arrival of his papers. col
lege authorities said today. But, the
authorities said, when Potter entered
the school he was to all intents and
purposes as much a soldier and as
much under military discipline as the
men who were officially indicted.
In a. statement made today Capt.
Frank E. Shaw, commander of the
Washburn unit, expressed the deepes,
sorrow and declared that in spite of
the fact that Potter had not been Of
ficially indicted in the service, the
younE man had given his life for his
country just as much As If he had
been killed in action on the fields of
France.
Conflict Of Authorities.
But the death Of Potter has
brought on whae promises to be a con-
flict of authority between the corps
authorities and the state and city
board of health and the women of
Topeka.
According to Captain Shaw Wash
burn college campus and the two in
Primaries are az much government
reservations as Camp Funston or Fort
Riley. AS government reservations
the supervision on the grounds is freq
from civil law insofar. as the members
of the students army training corps
are concerned
In a statement issued today by Dr.
A. B. jeffrey. it was declared that
there has been no tendency on the
part of the college or corps authori-
ties to keep any of the facts concern
ing the prevalence of influenza at the
school away. from the public. Doctor
jeffrey said that he has on various oc-
casions assured both the city and the
state health authorities of the desire
of the corps authorities to cooperate
to- the fullest possible extent and he
asserted that he has invited the city
officials interested in the stamping out
of the influenza to come out to the
college lnfrmary and inspect the
measures which have been taken to
care for tn? boys who are sick with
influenza or anything else.
1 Boys in Army Now.
Speaking of the idea some of the
women seem to entertain that their
boys when sick should. be allowed to
come home, and the other idea that in
view of the fact that there is at pres
ent q seeming vacation at the college
on account of quarantine, Doctor Jeff
rey said that the women seem to have
a misunderstanding of the actual con-
dition of the men ana of their rela-
ton to civil life. Doctor Jeffrey eX-
planned that when the men at Wash
burn college are indicted into military
service that they are as much a part
of the army as If they were in an army
cantonment. AS soldiers these men
are subject to military discipline and
both they and their parents and
friends must comply with military law.
THE army" Doctor Jeffrey de-
clared, docs not plan to send it's sick
home where there is no certainty that
they will be cared for properly. At
this time it is in many cases practical
ly impossible to get a physician on a
hurry up call in civilian life. But in
the army medical attention is always
at hand, even in cases OF just slight
indisposition.''
Local Doctors Called In.
Speaking of the care the boys are
given in the infirmary Doctor Jeffrey
stated that in every case where it APP
pears that the case is serious that To-
cal physicians are called in for consult
tation, and that the treatment is then
conducted along the lines mapped out
in a conference with the consulting
doctors.
Doctor Jeffrey announced today that
the corps infirmary at present is treat
ing just nine patients of which number
but five are confined to their beds. Of
the bed cases just one is serious, and
this one is getting adequate care. The
other four cases rated as bed cases
are, expected to be up tomorrow. The
four patients who are rated as conva
lescents today are out on the porches
at the infirmary.
lege authorities have not reported in
fluenza. cases, or any other kind to
the city board of health. Doctor JEFF
frey declared that up to date the state
board of health and the city board
have been unable to show any auth
GRITTY whereby cases of any disease on
a government reservation should be
reported to civil authorities. He as
serted that the state health depart
ment has been unable to : produce
cause for army surgeons reporting on
men in the service. and the men in the
training corps at Washburn are most
certainly in the service.
No "Investigation."
Doctor Crum bine, over the tele-
| phone today asserted that he has Civ
en- no one authority to quote aim as
saying that 1.-The state board of health
will make an investigation of condi-
tons at Washburn college" Crunn-
bine stated that SO far he has or.y