New-York tribune., 1920-01-30
Situation Still Serious.
Says DR.. Copeland; Re-
minds Every Citizen to
Obey All Health Rules
Luli is Temporary;
Peak Not in Sight
Decrease Offset by Gain
i'll Mortality; Nurses To
BE Trained Eiurried]y


both of influenza and pneumonia. In
. the twenty-four hour period ended at
! 0 a. m., 4,706 cases of influenza devel-
oped in the greater city, drop of SS3
from the previous chart period The
pneumonia cases also declined, $40 being
reported, against CSC in the twenty-four
hours preceding
The death rate, however, showed q
jump. One hundred persons succumbed
to influenza, an increase of thirty three
over the day before. Pneumonia deaths
totaled 1876, or eighteen more than on
Wednesday,
DR.. Royal s. Copeland, Health Com
missioner, said last night that the ap-
parent lull in the development of the
twin diseases had no significance.
Scourge Reaches Midway Point
"The figures mean nothing" he said
I'VE are in the midst of an epidemic
Unless material increases or decreases
are recorded the statistics are not sig
nificant."
The situation is serious, the Health
commissioner declared. and must not
be mnimized by the public.
"ln my opinion the peak of the cpl
demic will not be reached for some
days. DR.. Copeland said. "Reports to-
day indicate increases in the number of
deaths, and the number reported to-
morrow will probably be materially in
excess of these figures. The situation
is such that every citizen must ap-
preciatc his personal responsibility to
do those things which will protect his
own health and refrain from doing
things which will endans er the health
of others"
Other Indications of the spread of
the epidemic in the greater city in
cluded:
. Reports at the Offices Of the Public
Service Commissioner that 2,4O2 men
were on the sick list of the Interpor-
ough, the B. r. t., the New York Rail
ways Company and the Third Avenue
81" line. This is nearly 10 per cent of
the total number of employees of the
companies
Pleas from the telephone company
that necessary calls only be made, the
system being hampcred by the absence
of 1000 operators.
The determination Of the Health De-
partment to start a training school for
practical nurses for use in the emcr-
gcncY.
Declaring that the "grcatest need in
the control Of the epidemic is nurses" "
Commissioner Copeland announced a
plan developed by the Health Depart
ment for combating the shortage He
said
1T is impossible to supply the ncces-
sary number of graduate nurses, and
practical nurses are being used in
great numbers. In order that we may
have at our disposal within ten days an
unfalling supply it is our purpose to
establish at the Department. of Health
an intensive course Of training.
Lessons Will Be Practical
This work will Dc in charge of Miss
Louisa NJ. Webster. who had charge OF
the War Service Training School for
Women during the summer of 1918.
Miss Webster has taken an Office in
the Department Of Health headquarters
and is preparing to begin the course
iCtt NiOiNNN al y. Ill. AUpilCdIlS may
register at any time between 3 and
o'clock in the afternoon from Mon
day to Friday at Miss Webster's office.
Lectures will be given by Health De
partment physicians. Practical demon
strations OF bedroom work will be given
by professional nurse and dietary
work will be directed by detitian.
The first class viii be prepared for
practical work in one week, although
some members who have had experience
and who are particu larly we'll qualified
to adapt themselves may be able to
complete the course before that time.
Assignments will be made at the rate
of 81 day, to be paid by the Depart
ment of Health.
Requests for 125 nurses reached the
department yesterday. DR.. Copeland
was able to supply eighty. He urged
that poor families Indicate their need
of nurses to the Health Department.
If the applicant is not able to pay the
Health Department will settle the bill
The prevailing rate of nursing serv-
ices is SIS a day. But if family is
pleased with the work done and is will
ing to pay more, it can enter into
other arrangements with. the nurses :"
said DR.. Copeland. "a very few nurses
are reported as making exorbitant
charges. We have been informed of
one case where a man charged S35 folN
day and night The Health De-
partment wants to know of any such
instances"
Commissioner Copeland asked that.
instead of writing to the department.
persons prepared to aid in the fight
against the epidemic as trained or prac-
tical nurses report in person to head
quarters and "go right to work"
Spread of Epidemic, by Boroughs
Figures for the chart day ended at
10 a. m. yesterday, as given out by the
Health Department, are:
influenza Pneumonia
Borough. Cases. Deaths. Cases Deaths
Manhattan .... 2.la2 A. 3e2 "A
Bronx hiS IL tS IS
Brooklyn 1927 81 POI 80