The sun., 1919-11-02
Influenza Menace Too Great
ForSparing ngPreventionCost
DR.. Copeland Declares Vast Concerted Governmental
Effort Only Can Solve the Probem-Sees Reason
to Suspect Disease May Have Been Spread
by Ruthless Enemy

j. Rosenau, professor of hygiene and
preventive medicine in Harvard Un.-
versity, and DR.. e. o. Jordan, SUPER
visor OF bacteriology at Chicago Uni
versity.
These very eminent gentlemen,
however. only could resolve to bend
every energy to the study of the So
called influenza bacillus, the various
viruses and the pneumococci as fac
tors in common colds and influenza
leading to pneumonia; they could but
agree that little now is known and
hope for such O movement as may
make possible the inauguration Of sys-
tematio study upon a great scale. That
this should be done is vitality impor-
tant to the future welfare of the ma
tion and the race.
THE New York Board of Health
has equipped itself with a vaccine
containing the germs of the various
types of pneumonia, the several forms
of streptococci and the influenza
bacillus. 1t will give whatever good
results have followed the use of pre-
vious vaccines, and, in some cases
at least, will produce immunity against
the fatal complication of pneumonia
following influenza. It is given in
three doses at intervals of from five
to seven days; the reaction subse-
quent to its administration is so slight
as not to Interfere with the patients
pursuit Of the ordinary affairs Of life,
but we frankly admit 1t to be largely
experimental.
IF influenza recurs the most i'm
portant thing of oil will be prompt
notification OF local health authorities
of every case which may develop
"Of course especial attention must
be paid to school children, and here
in New York we have provided for
vigorous morning inspection of all
pupils by teachers carefully instructed
in the recognition of symptoms. Also
we are distributing circulars to all
homes in the city through the school
children and these emphasize the
danger OF neglect of what may seem
common colds.
ANY member of a family showing
symptoms of a cold should absent HIM
self or herself voluntarily from the
company of relatives and friends, and
each person with a cold should occupy
an individual bed at night, avoiding
the use of eating and toilet utensils
used by others.
: "The danger OF infection through
the medium of eating and drinking
utensils has been fully established.
Here in New York we are devoting
especial attention to enforcing the
sterilization of glasses, spoons, &C., at
restaurants, soda fountains and all
other places where food and drink are
sold. and 1t is probable that at all
soda fountains we shall require the
use Of paper cups exclusively.
TN the meantime we are calling
upon every citizen to assist us in en-
forcement of the anti-spitting and
anti-dry sweeping laws, are asking for
volunteers who may be willing to
work in case OF emergency and are en-
rolling all doctors and nurses return
ing from military service"
DIR. Copeland, by the way, is not
among those who regard as Incredible
and unworthy of serious consideration
the theory of many scientists among
the European Allies that the influenza
may have been spread maliciously by
Germany as an attack upon allied
civilian populations, although he ad-
mits that OF this no conclusive proof
has been found.
This statement and those made in