New-York tribune., 1920-01-31
Calls for 147 Nurses

Health Commissioner Copeland said
last night that there had been calls for
147 nurses, but that the Health Depart
ment had been able to supply only
fifty-two. He said also that there had
been fifty new applications for posi-
tions as practical nurses and that
eleven graduate nurses had been ac-
ceptcd. He denied the report that ac-
cepted applicants were being paid
while training.
DR.. Copeland made public letter
from Archbi shop Patrick J. Hayes to
All the Catholic hospitals in Manhat-
tan, the Bronx and Richmond urging
them to aid the Health Department in
its fight against the epidemic, and an
nounced that he would take over the
private hospital at Lexington Avenue
and Fifty-eighth Street. owned by Mrs.
Louis G. Kaufman, wife of the prcsi-
dent of the Chatham and Phoenix Bank,
which he would operate to take care
Of children who are in homes where
they are exposed to, influenza.
Commissi ioner Copeland said this
hospital has a capacity Of 100 patients,
and that last year Mrs. Kaufman
opened the hospital for similar pur-
pose and paid all of the expenses of
its operation during the influenza epi-
demic
He said that the Board Of Health is
following up the absences of school
children, which have been numerous
lately on the theory that the children
may be suffering from influenza, but
figures brought back by inspectors
show, he said, that there are few cases
among the children. and that their abb
sence is explained by the fear of their
parents that they may be infected with
the disease.
Skeptical of Serums
Shown cable from Paris ycster-
day which stated that physician there
had found a serum to cure influenza
and so-called sleeping sickness, which
this physician declares to be the same
Commissioner Copeland said that while
he agreed with the latter statement
and had himself expressed the same
opinion often, he viewed with sus-
picion at this time serums which have
for their purpose the prevention of
both diseases.
"Whenever the germ responsible fol-
any disease is known and can be iso-
lated" ne said, "it is possible to pre-
pare vaccine that Will protect against
the disease and to prepare q serum
that will be useful in its treatment
Unfortunately there is a great differ
cnce of opinion among scientific men
as to the positive factor of influenza
With two or three notable exceptions
the American Investigators IN the East
are agreed that the causatlve factor OF
influenza has not yet been determined
ANY vaccine for the prevention OF
the disease or any serum intended for
its cure must be purely experimental.
Therefore, at the present moment l
view with suspicion and doubt all state
ments regarding the virtues Of any
such biological products.
Discussing the number of patients
in city hospitals, Commissioner Cope
land said that there were ,404 such
patients in Manhattan and 3lS in the
Bronx He pointed out that while
there are $4,000 hospital beds in greater
New York, only 1000 or less are being
used for influenza cases. He said also
that the Health Department has asked
the various hospitals to postpone all
surgical cases which are not urgent
so that influenza cases can be imme-
diately handled.
Discussing the work that the Nurses
Emergency Council has been doing in CO.
operation with the Red Gross, the
Charity Organization Society, the
Henry Street Nursing Service and
Babies Welfare Organization, Commits
sioner Copeland said that his depart
mcnt is greatly aided by them and that
most Of this work has been made posi-
Bile by the individual labors of Miss
COUfiuIp0 on maze Sil.