The Washington times., 1920-01-21
III NEW FLU
CASES. DEAD.
Total for Month Reaches 636.
Authorities Have Little
Fear of Epidemic.

Five deaths from influenza and III
new cases were reported to the Dis
trict Health Department today. The
total number OF deaths recorded since
January 1 are o; the total cases, 636.
Four recoveries were reported to the
department today.
DIR. william c. Fowler. District
health officer. said today he saw no
Improvement In the situation. DR..
Fowler again stated today that he
was not seriously considering closing
schools or any other public places.
"The present situation Is not serious
enough TO warrant drastic action"
he said.
Following a conference with Com
missioner Louis Brownlow, DR.. Fow-
Ter stated that he believed II would
be a good idea II persons suffering
with acute colds remain at home for
several days. He further suggested
that a physician be called In and that
the person be carefully examined.
"In commercial establishments es-
pccially, / would suggest that en-
pioyers send home employees suffering
with acute colds, DR.. Fowler said. 81
have already asked the school au-
thorities to send home children suffer-
ing with colds or having a fever
This Is the best preventive measure
that can be adopted at this time"
Report OF Deaths.
Reports of the deaths of the fol-
lowing persons from influenza were
made today: Lucy G. Temple, sew
enty-six years old. 1917 Swami street
northwest; Susan 7. DauHherty, six
ty-two years old. 1897 Rhode Island
avenue northwest; Edgar u. Steever,
seventy years old, Cairo apartments:
William J. Browning, sixty-three
years old, 134l Madison street north
west. and Martha II. Tucker, seventy
one years old, 81 X street northwest.
All are white. DR.. Fowler. in an
nouncing these deaths. said that in
fuenza was not the direct cause of
all the deaths, and that some doubt
existed as to whether the cause of
death could be attributed to ir.hu-
enza.
An appeal for nurses was sent out
today by Miss Alice G. Bagley, su-
perintendent, Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society. Miss Bagley stated
there is.sa shortage of nurses. All
women and girls in the city who have
had nursing experience are asked by
Miss Bagley to volunteer their serv-
ices during the preseLt situation.
Miss Bagley can be found at 14l3 G
street northwest.
A survey OF the hospitals of the
city, made by The Times today, show
that all of these places were crowded
to capacity. Only in one or two of
the hospitals are they able to handle
any additional patients.
Shortage of Nurses.
The most crowded hospitals are the
Emergency, Casualty, Georgetown,
Sibley and Freedman's. Each hos
pitaI also reports a shortage of
nurses. At the Freedman's eight
nurses have reported i'll.
Health officials would not attempt
to predict today when the present
outbreak would subside. 1t was said,
however, that the present recurrence
of the disease was not expected to
cause many deaths.
DIR. Fowler is taking personal
charge of the campaign to check the
spread of influenza. Several cases Of
sickness among employees of the
Health Department Is handicapping
health officials. Chief Medical In
spector Fry has been i'll for several
days and Dr.. Fowler has been han
ding his work.