Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-21
|NODRAST|C STEP NEEDED
| TO COMBAT INFLUENZA
Health Officer Makes Report of
Cases of Record in the
District.

Five deaths from influenza and III
new cases of the disease were report
ed to the health department between
midnight and noon today.
The deaths reported were: Lucy
Graves Temple. seventy-six, 1917
Swami street; Susan 7. Daugherty.
sixty-two. 1877 Rhode Island avenue;
Edgar z. Stcever, seventy, Cairo apart
ments: william j. Browning. sixty
three. 134l Madison street. and Martha
Fl. Tucker, seventyone, 81 X street
northeast.
Health Officer Fowler said that while
death in all these certificates. in two
of them the malady was given only as
a centributory cause.
The number of cases reported today
brings the total for the month up to
636. Four recoveries were reported to
the department today.
DIR. Fowler's Estimate.
DR.. Fowler said that today's re-
ports do not indicate any improve
ment in the situation. and he does not
look for. sudden drop in the num-
Der of cases. He said he expects the
present daily average of new cases
to continue for several days.
The health officer is still of the
opinion that conditions in Washing
ton have not become serious enough
to warrant closing the schools or any
other public places where large num-
bers assemble.
DIR. Fowler advises, however. that
people avoid crowds as much as pos
sible. 1t also was suggested today
that employees in establishments
! where large numbers are employed
remain at home and take medicine
promptly if they contract heavy
colds.
| DR.. Fowler is keeping close person
al watch on the situation. and it is
known that he has well laid plans
both for treatment and prevention
should conditions become worse.
Nurses Plan to Mobilize.
The Instructive Visiting Nurse So
ciety today began plans to mobilize
persons who have had experience II
nursing for service in the event IN
| fiuenZa continues to spread.
[ Persons who have knowledge OF
caring for the sick are requested b!
Miss Alice c. Bagley of the nurse so
ciety to enroll at the societys head
| quarters, 1413 C street.
| The scarcity of nurses is beint
! felt, not only by private families II
/ which there is sickness, but IN the nos
pitfalls as well.
| Inquiry today developed that nearl,
all of the hospitals in the city arr
| filled with patients. Influenza case:
are not numerous in the hospitals, bu
| the fact that the institutions ar
d, housing close to their capacity OF pa
tients from all causes will make i
difficult for them to handle infiuenz;
| cases should they increase.
! At almost every hospital. with tn
| exception of the Children's, an in
quiry as to available space was me
with the answer that rooms are al
engaged and that the wards are wei
filled.
! Order Affecting School Children.
| All children suffering from cold
will be excluded from school until tn
symptoms have subsidized as a precau
ton against spread of serious colds
influenza, grip and pneumonia.
! This order was issued by DR.. Fowle
T, today to all school medical inspector
! and passed along to all teachers II
the form of a bulletin from the ofi1c
of the superintendent of schools.
Comparatively few children are an
| sent from classes on account OF SICK
ness, according to current attendanc
! records. and a small proportion Q
| absentees are out because OF cold
and respiratory affections.
| A number of teachers are absen
from their work. suffering from cold
and grip. however, and the school al
! ministration is having difficulty II
| obtaining enough substitute lnstruc
! tors to handle classes.
This problem of obtaining Subsl
tutes to meet the winter sickness
situation is likely to be brought be
fore the board of education at 1t
meeting today. Little or no relic
can be offered by the board becaus
there is no provision for the pay o
a substitute teachers corps