Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-27
E%s"'as'S sso'as Yesterday aseas 14112
TUESDAY. JANUARY n. 1870.
Do Not Lsa Il Become Epidemic.

=
Do Net - 4 Become Epidemic.
Tho dreaded Spanish inHuenn
ooee moro laying it, deadly grasp upo
many communities throughout the ooun
Try, and our own city cannot be expectes
% enjoy immunity. In fact, the inffic
sioa has appeared hero, although tn
known cascs-At least those officially
reported 70 tho Board Of Hcalth-are few
in number. Il u also gratifying to note
that in most infected communities the
disease is not attended by the horrible
fatality that marked its crusade a little
more than a year ago, when Wilmington
vas among the heaviest sufferers.
But notwithstanding the visit Of the
dreaded ''flu" 70 our city has not yet
assumed alarming proportions, it is all
Ne more incumbent upon the authorities
10 oomha4 its presence with the utmost
sisor and effectiveness, with q deter
nination TO prevent il getting q deadly
nrangle-hold on our people. Itspresence
even to q small extent Is sufficient to
cause shudders Of apprehension to seize
upon the average citizen. Meme can
forget the dreadful visitation of the
scourge during the fan Of 1918, when It
numbered it's victims here by the hum
dreds, taxed the resources Of all remedial
agencies to the utmost, and killed its
victims faster than they could be properly
buried
Fi1t Of al, the Board Of Health should
bend % it, energiss toward the inaugirs-
ton md conduct Of an effective campaign
q 0oaA8aon, treatment and cure, If pos
Gbie, of existing cases, and adopt all
necessary or promiGns measures for
preventing . spr ID Of tie disturbing
visitation. Next, the City Council should
second every effort of the Board of Health
N this direction by earnest cooperation,
and especially by providing the money
necessary for carrying out these corrective
and Impressive measures. The board has
No such fund At its disposal. Therefore,
Tie City Council should promptly do its
paEt By authorizing the board to do |
svuything necessary and assuming to |
itself the financial burden that thereby |
nay be incurred.
The community WIN never forget how
the City Council of 1918
ignored its plain duty while the plague
Of influenza was scourging our city 30
dreadfully. With hospitals crowded to
the walk, with temporary hospitals
conducted at the New Century Club and
he County Club, with the best of our
freely extending personal
ssrvioes and working night and day in
caring for the afflicted, with every ply
ncian in the city rushed to the limit with
work. with the Board Of Health doing all
tnat was possible within the narrow limits
If IT'S official powers and financial posi-
,ilities, the City Council sat supinels by
md raised not hand to help in the des-
oerate work of resistance to a deadly
epidemic. And after the fight had been
won, at a terrible cost, it even repudiated
he bdls that bad been justly incurred
q the campaign from which it had with
ed it's aid
At its next meeting City Council
hou}d take thissituation under eonsiders-
ion and promptly do its duty. Thatduty
} 10 extend to the Board Of Health an
fer Of thorough cooperation in fighting
be 'tfu, with an assurance that al !
expenditures thereby in- ]
urred viii be duly provided for. The :
;sty Council has the power to do this, :
nd it should have the will Although no {
sgular appropriation may be available I
u such purpose, the City Council, =
aould the situation threaten 10 become
sperz*e, has lawful authority to make
\ extraordinary appropriation large
rough 10 oover any contingency. And
ne IT should do. True, some Of the
'embers Of the present body were mem
srs Of the shamefully negligent Council
lelS, which during that hour Of sore
~ and grave peril acted for all the world
Re Nero 6ddling while Rome was
arnan& bat thsa is DO reason why they
'ould not do the right thing now.
The Board Of Health should fight with
its power 10 combat the "Hun visitation :
I'd prevent its becoming epidomic, if 4
manly possible. And City Council r
ould stand by the Board Of Health to T
e end. I