Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-01-26
REPORT CASES
Of INFLUENZA
IN THIS CITY
Disease in Mild Form Here---
Health Board Acts to Check
Spread of the Epidemic

That the influenza epidemic which
Is again sweeping the country has at
last reached this city, was learned at
the Health Department today where
it was said that less than twenty-five
cases have been reported up 10 GATE
At 10 O'Clock Saturday morning there
had been no cases reported TO the
Health Department and 1T was 1elt at
that time that the city was probably
free Of the disease, but In order 10 Dc
on the safe side, Health officer Dr.
Charles s. Thompson of Friday sent
a letter to every physician in the city
reminding them that the disease was
reportable and 1t is thought that the
reports received up to the present are
due to the physicians receiving TINS
communication.
The cases here at the present time
are not confined to any one section or
the city So far the physicians report
the disease as being of mild form
and not so violent as the scourge that
passed over the city two years ago.
THE Board of Health has already TAX
en- steps to fight the spread of the DIS.
ease here and. have enlisted the aid or
the police department to aid In this
work.
Today when the policemen left
HEADQUARTERS for their respective
beats they were ordered to visit all
the stores handling Nfoodstuffs and
see that all foodstuffs were covered.
Their orders were to not leave the
store until everything had been COW
cred so that handling by customers
! was Impossible. The Health Depart
| ment inspectors received similar in
! structions. Health Officer Thompson
| said today that ali foodstuffs for sale
| In stores of the city must be covered
! so 1t could not be handled by GUS
| toners and so 1t would be safe from
catching germs from q customer who
might carelessly cough or sneeza
| while in the store.
| Included In the foodstuffs that
must be covered are meats, bread,
cake and rolls. People going to the
stores to buy are urged by the de-
! partment to not handle the food
stuffs. If by not being allowed to
examine the stuff some storekeeper
sells a person meats unfit for food
| If the case Is reported to the Health
| Department they will act in the mat
ter, 1t was said at the Office Of the
! department today.
People of the city are urged by
| Health Officer Thompson to spray
the nose and throat with some good
| anaesthetic solution and to wash all
Fruits and vegetables before they are
eaten. AS the disease is hand con-
| NSy0u, pSOpiS are uISSd " 10 pal
ular in keeping their hands washed
the hands should always be washed
before eating. People are requested
to not spit on the sidewalks, but to
use their handkerchiefs. These
should be boiled before washing
Persons are urged to safeguard their
own persons and those about them.
There have been no deaths from
the disease as yet and for this reason
it is felt that the disease is not SC
! violent as 1t was two years ago
Three deaths have been reported
from pneum monia, but 1t was said
the~~ health department today that
this is the ordinary number of deaths
from this disease for this time OF
year.
A communication has been sent tc
all nurses in the city requesting them
to file their names and where they
can be found in case they are needed
i, to help combat the disease. The
health department is making ar
rangements to obtain emergency
hospitals to fight the disease If the
occasion requires. The health de-
partment is arranging now to flght
the disease should 1t become epidem-
ic in this city similar to that of 1918