Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-06
BAF FILING FEVER
ATTACKS F|REMEN
Thirteen Are OF Duty, Includ-
ing Two Who Were
Injured.

r.. j. Papa, member of the fire de-
partment who sustained broken
back early on the morning of March
l when the north wall Of the property
al 220 King street fell on him and
several other firemen. was reported
today at the Delaware Hospital to be
doing az well as could be expected OF a
man suffering from such serious in
jury. He Is conscious and Is said not
to he suffering much pain. The dl-
rectors OF the Department OF Public
Safety have given orders that every
thing possible to alleviate his suf-
fering and to make him comfortable
be done and the physicians and nurses
in charge of the case are trying 10 see
that this Is accomplished.
Papa Is paralyzed from the waist
down. The fractured yertebra was
found at about the waist line and the
broken bone removed ~. The wonder
full physical conditil } 0of Papa Is
said TO have been great benefactor TO
him through the trying ordeal Of the
operation, which was performed. and
10 be now sustaining him To a wonder
ful degree. However, it is said the
physicians who have come in con-
tact with the case have agreed that
Papa, now paralyZed, will always be
paralyzed as long as he lives and that
all idea OF his ultimate recovery has
been given up.
The physicians recall the instance
OF young man who lived for ten
months with a broken back, but
eventually succumbed. and they think
Pappa's physical fitness and stamina
may sustain him possibly for eight
months or year. but they will not
admit that he has any chance for
complete recovery. His activity as
a fireman, they say, Is terminated
and their only hope for the young man
is 10 sustain life just as long as
possible.
Fire Chief William ]. Lutz. who was
crushed under the same wall that
caused the injury to Papa. who was
his assistant, 1t has been discovered,
sustained three cracked ribs when he
was partly buried under the pile of
bricks. They are on the left side OF
the body and 1t is this injury which
has been causing the chief so much
pain In his left side and back. He was
permitted 10 sit up for short time
yesterday but 1t was stated today II
leave his bed and il may be a month
Will be a week or moro before he can
before he Is strong enough TO return
to active duty as commander OF the
new paid fire department
Lieutenant J. NJ. Patterson OF En-
gine Company No. 9. was reported to-
day to be suffering from pneumonia.
which developed after he had con
tracted a slight cold His condition
is not thought to be serious
The reports at headquarters today
showed lS firemen off duty because of
Illness. Several of them are said TO be
suffering from a peculiar fever, which
develops a very high temperature
This ailment Is somewhat battling 10
the physicians, but Is not thought 10
DO anything serious 1t cannot be
traced 10 any fumes or the like that
the tiremen may have inhaled at fires.
for they have not been exposed 10
any danger of this character since
the Third street market house fire and
all the men affected during that
blaze have fully recovered
The large number OF men off duty.
II was pointed out today, emphasized
the urgency of having a reserve list
OF some kind for the department upon
which the directors or the chief could
draw TO MI the vacancies caused by
the men being unable 10 do active
duty.