New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Health Chief
Plans for Fight
On Influenza
Inspection of All School
Children L. Being Made
and Teachers Instructed.
Says DR.. r.. 5. Copeland

i. DR.. Royal Copeland, Commissioners
of Health, yesterday gave out a
statement outlining n detail plans and
preparations developed by his depart
ment in anticipation of a possible out
break of influenza during the fall and
winter months.
"A rigorous daily inscction of all
school children is being made, and the
teachers are being given careful an
struction to enable them to recognize
symptoms suggestive of acute respira-
tory disease" said Commissioner Cope
land. "A careful circular of instruc-
tion will be distributed through the
schol children for the information Of
their parents or guardians.
DR.. Copeland, who announced that
his health inspectors had been in
structors had been instructed to en-
force yhe section of the Sanitary Code
concerning conditions Of soda foun-
tains and restaurants, said that con
ference would be held this week with
the proprietors of soda water estab-
lishments for the discussion of the
''wisdom of amending the Sanitary
Code and providing for the use of
paper cups, instead of the ordinary
drinking glass which, if poorly washed
may transmit germs Of disease"
More Than Average Expected
Dr. Copeland said that while "there
may be no such number of cases of
influenza as to warrant calling it an
epidemic," but AIDED that in 'all hu-
man probability there will be many
moro than the average number of
cases"
Doctor Copeland urged that persons
willing to volunteer as nurses or at
tendants or in other capacities enroll
with the Health Department..
While admitting frankly that the
scientific world is very much at sea as
regards the particular germ respon-
said, the results of vaccination, as
carried on in New York State and in
the army last year had shown "somc
benefits"
AT least there have been fewer
cases of pneumonia in the vaccinated
persons E" he continued. "Prob-
ably more than ninety per cent of all
deaths reported from influenza last
year resulted from the secondary
pneumonia Te Department Of
Health has prepared vaccine contain
my tIc yer HIS Ol lnc various types OF
pneumonia and the several forms Of
strcptococc as we'll as the influenza
bacillus itself. Whatever good results
were met with last year viii certainly
follow the use Of this particular vac
cine In some cases at least it will
render immunity against the fatal COM
plcation of influenza. There is very
little reaction from its use and the in
dlvidual who takes the vaccine can go
about his ordinary affairs
Free Vaccine Available
The Health Department is prepared
10 give this vaccine to the private
physician OF any person who wishes it
and is also prepared to administer it
TO the poor at the Board of Health
clinics.
"A conference was held this week in
the Health Department, attended by
Dr. William Il. Park. director of Board
OF Health laboratories; DR.. George W.
Mccoy, Of the United States Health
Service; DR.. N. j. Rosenau, of Harvard
University. and DR.. L. O. Jordan, of
Chicago University. These eminent
gentlemen decided to bend every effort
toward the study of the so-caled in
fiuenza bacillus, the iilterablc viruses
and the pneumococci as possible fac
tors in common colds and influenza
leading to pneumonia.
The Health Commissioner urges the
prompt treatment OF common colds and
immediate reporting of all cases of in
fuenza to the health officials, calling
on all citizens to assist in the enforce
ment of "anti-spitting laws, laws relat-
ing to dry sweeping and in every way
possible to assist the department in
making the city as clean and sanitary
as 1t may possibly be-"
Warns Against Alarm
Doctor Copeland says he does not
wish the public to be alarmed or so
disturbed that the idinary duties can
not be we'll performed" The City of
New York failed to do many of the CON
ventional things during the epidemic
last year, he said. at did not close the
schools, the churches or the theatres.
! realize that in this community
1t is futile to warn against over
crowded places.
"Unquestionably however. our peoe
pie, by reason of the daily necessity Of
going into crowded places, have de
reloped a certain degree of immu-
nlty agA nst respiratory diseases.
thoroughly believe that had our 6OOO,-
600 people been taken out of New York
City last fall and population of the
same size brought in from the country