Evening star., 1928-12-12
INFLUENZA WAVE
NEARING CAPITAL
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Students Ask Permission
L to Return to District.

First signs of the inroads of the in
fluenza epidemic near Washington ap-
peared today in batch of Is kilograms
from students of Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, Blacksburg, Va, asking per-
mission of the local Health Department
to return home for the Christmas holi-
days.
The kilograms stated the principal
would not allow students to return to
homes outside of Blacksburg for the
Christmas vacation without first OBJ
tanning permission of the health Of
ficers of their respective localities.
Health Officer William C. Fowler said
today he had granted all of the re-
quests.
The kilograms, he said, did not make
Il clear whether the school was closing
early on account of influenza conditions
or the extent of the outbreak. He has
received no communication from
authorities Of the school, he said.
Six Cases in Capital
Althsugh only six cases of influenza
have been reported to the Health De-
partment in Washington since Decem-
ber 8, and there is no sign of any in
crease in the numbers, DR.. Fowler said
undoubtedly if there were any general
spread of influenza eastward, WASH
ington would not escape its share.
The health officer stated he had made
up his mind in advance that no par
ticular precautions could be taken to
prevent the spread of influenza except
to ask the public to remain calm. He
stated definitely he would not recon-
mend closing of schools or other .places
for public meetings in the case OF an
outbreak
This was done in 1929" DR.. Fowler
said, land no good that I have been
able to discover resulted. To prevent a
congregation Of persons in one spot
simply means a redistribution of the
crowding into other spots. If crowding
is bad thing, closing the schools does
not seem to be the way to avoid it. I
believe that is the generally accepted
view among health officers all over the
country, based on their experience in
1913"
An increase in the influenza death
rate and a rise in the general death rate
In the United States were announced
today by the Public Health Service as
4O,510 cases were reported in 80 States.
New York City and the District of CO.
lumbia.
189 Deaths Are Reported.
A total of 1S9 deaths resulted from
Influenza in ~ cities during the week
ending December 8, the bureau reported
from information submitted by tele-
graph to the Bureau of Census. This
compared with 43 deaths from the dis
ease in the same cities during the week
ending November 3. The general death
rate for the United States for this week
was 1873 per LOG, 900 population, COM
pared with 11.9 for the corresponding
period Of last year.
The bureau said some authorities at
tribute the rise in the general rate to
the increase in deaths from influenza
but declined to comment.
The total OF more than 20O. 900 cases
Tor the country estimated yesterday was
more than borne out by today'S reports.
the bureau said. The 4O,5lO cases are
not more than one-fifth of the cases
actually existing" it was added, "indi-
eating q real total of at least 202, $50. ;,
All schools and theaters at Columbia,
s. G., were ordered closed today for an
indefinite period because of prevalence
OF the disease, while North Carolina
State College authorities ordered sus-
pension Of college work until January
8. The number of cases at the North
Carolina college increased from 10 last
night to rs today.