The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1920-01-29
COMBINED FIGHT
AGAINST SPREAD
OF SPANISH FLU
Is INACCURATE
Medical Society, County Com
missioners and School OF
ficers Lead Campaign


ty physician, in conjunction with the
board of county commissioners. the
city council and the school authori-
ties to combat as far as possible the
spread of the Spanish influenza, OF
which IA number of cases have made
their appearance II The county Daring
the last week or 10 days.
Precautionary means for prevent
ing the disease from becoming epi-
demic were discussed at length Mon
day night by the members of the Fre-
mont County Medical Society in Flor
ence and a conference has since been
held on the subject between the
county physician and the health COM
mittee of the city council. AT il
o'clock this morning a meeting of rep
resentatives of the school boards OF
the county was held in the county
room here to give it still further con-
sideration. This meeting was called
by the county physician and the
county superintendent, and was at
tended by a large number of people
desirous of keeping the contagion out
of the public schools If there is any
way to accomplish it. The concensus
of opinion as expressed at this CON
ference was to the effect that the
disease can be successfully fought in
its present condition without closing
the schools, or public gatherings OF
any kind, if public cooperation can
be obtained in the observance of
few simple health rules. Without this
unity of purpose the disease can not
be even minimized. 1t is expected
that everybody will assist the health
authorities in the work they have set
out to do in the interest of the gen
eral welfare.
1t was decided that the establish
ment of a quarantine was not demand
ed under the circumstances, but that
pupils in the schools suffering from
the contagion should be segregated
from those not similarly afflicted.
Every teacher in the county Will be
provided with a fever thermometer
and tests be made daily of pupils com
planning of illness to ascertain wheth-
er they have an abnormal tempera-
ture or not If found to have any
trace of fever they are to be sent
nome Will " ASne''
there until all evidence of 1t is gone.
Pupils with coughs of any kind will
be requested to apply handkerchief
to the mouth and nose when coughing
or sneezing to safeguard those about
them From experiments made by
the Fremont County Medical Society
at Florence Monday night by means
of highly sensitized plates, it was
found that the spray from the mouth
of an influenza victim extends for a
distance of nine feet, and that the
contagion may be carried by cough
to any point within that radius.
The influenza in the Canon City
district is not at all serious at the
present time, although a good many
cases of it IN mild form are reported
In the community. The alarming
feature about it is that it is likely to
develop pneumonia. which is always
more or less alarming. The infiu-
enza is reported to be more general
in Penrose than in any other part of
the county, and more than 100 cases
OF it are being treated for it there
now. The Penrose schools have been
closed. There is also considerable
influenza in Florence. Concrete and
Portland. The county physician is of
the opinion that It will not be neces-
sary to close the public schools.
churches or prohibit assemblages of
any character if the public takes pre-
cautionary measures to minimize the
extension of the disease.
A well known Canon City physician
stated his belief this morning that
neither weather nor climatic condi-
tions had any effect on the influenza
except as they weakened the vitality
OF its victims ana made them suscep-
tible to the disease. Last year. he
said the influenza was as bad in the
Arctic regions and the tropics as II
was in the temperate zones of the
world Latitude. he continued, seemed
10 make no difference with it. MOI
does varying temperatures appear to
have any influence on it. In Cape
Town. South Africa. where the eli
mate is comparatively uniform
throughout year. the influenza killed
more people than anywhere else, h
concluded.
Although the influenza is not ye'
virulent in Fremont county. 1t may
become so unless people are disposed
to regard IL with proper gravity Ply
sicians urge that 1t be not neglected
and usually tell their patients tina
the best place for them at such a time
is in bed Neither colds nor feveri
should he dailied with. especial,
when the influenza is abroad In th'
or.