The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-29
Garfield School To Be Equipped
and Opened Mt Once.
Will Have Capacity of $50
Patients, Is Estimate.
DR.. EARLE G. BROWN IN CHARGE
p. H. N. and Red Cross to Fur
nish Nurses for Emergency.
Twenty Eight New Cases Re-
ported in Topeka Today.

The Garfield school building at
Thirteenth and Quincy streets was OBJ
tanned today by the city for use as an
emergency influenza hospital. The
school board met at noon and granted
permission for the city to use the
building, which has not been used as a
city schools for a few years. There
was a provision attached to the boards
action, but is thought this can be
easily overcome.
The city health department will be-
gin at once to put the building in
readiness for flu patients, Robt ID.
McGiffert. health commissioner an
nounced today. 1t will be thoroiy
cleaned from basement to roof and
two wards fitted out, so they will be
ready for occupancy the minute an
emergency arises. One hundred and
fifty patients can be accommodated in,
the building, it is estimated
McGfffert has been searching since
the present flu epidemic hit the state
for suitable building for a hospital.
but his hunt was unrewarded until the
Garfield school was suggested AS
this building has not been used by the
school board recently, it is an easy
matter to convert it into a hospital and
Will be furnished to the city without
charge.
I'VE have been fortunate in being
able to obtain the use of this build
ing" said Mayor Herbert ]. Corwine.
in discussing the hospital today. THE
question of providing a suitable and
adequate place to handle flu patients
has been troubling us for some time.
This will solve the question and. at the
same time, viii not cost the city rent"
Under City Health Department.
The flu hospital will be operated
thru the city health department, with
the medical work under supervisor,
/ of DR.. Earle G.. Brown. city health
I officer, and DIR. r. J. Miller. city
I physician. Nurses will be furnished
/, by the Public Health Nursing associa-
ton, the Red Cross and other outside
organizations. Physicians Of the city
will bring patients to the hospital and
treat them there.
The object of the hospital said
Doctor Brown, is to provide a place
where flu patients may be brought.
/ when 1t Is impossible to quarantine
their homes and when they are unable
to get nurses. If a big epidemic
should hit Topeka, the nurse prob-
lem would be great one and many
homes could not get nurses. This hos
| pital would centralize the work so that
a few nurses could handle a number
! of patients"
1T is the plan now to fit out two
wards completely with cots and other
necessary equipment and have them
ready for immediate use, adding 20
them, If the need arises.
Many New Cases Today.
1 Twenty-eight new cases of influ-
enza were reported to the city health
department up until noon-the larg-
est yet reported in any one day since
the epidemic began.
; Doctor Brown announced that the
pneumonia vaccine had arrived and
that a number of persons already had
called for their first dose" Any per-
son desiring to be vaccinated will be
taken care of at the health depart
ment. on the third floor of the city
, building,