Evening star., 1928-12-13

BY the Associated Press.
The board of strategy on influenza,
which was called into conference by
Surg. Gen, Cumming, has telegraphed
physicians on the West Coast, asking
for information regarding the critical
aspects of the disease. Information
must be obtained, it was explained, be-
fore the board can make formal state
ment of the influenza situation. The
board is composed of c. w. Mccoy,
director the Hygiene Laboratory; DR..
w. H. Frost and DR.. j. P. Leake, all
veteran public health officers. They
are expected to submit recommended
tions for control of the epidemic to the
surgeon general this afternoon.
Yesterdays total of 40820 reported
cases was increased today to 1868
when the State health officer of Ten
neSsee reported 243 new cases in that
State Public health officials still be-
lieved that not more than one-fifth of
the existing cases are being reported.
The situation in New York, while still
not determined, was thought not to be
serious since Dr. M. Nicholl. State
health officer telegraphed to Surg. Gen.
Cumming that while influenza cases are
not reportable in his State, health OFF,
GERS are required to report unusual prev
alenceS, and they made no such report.
Inquiries to the West Coast physicians
included questions on the amount OF
fever usually occurring in cases. the
seriousness of coughing. whether there
usually were complications and what
these complications were.
1t is of especial Importance, 1t was
said, that it be known whether pneu-
monia or intestinal disturbances were
following attacks in the majority OF
cases,
In repeating today that the outbreak
, has reached epidemic proportions, pub
lie health officials said this term was
| used loosely but is construed by them
to be proper when a disease appears
with Increasing extensiveness over "a
period of days, F ~
Health Service officials believe that
there are more than 200, 600 cases OF
the. disease In the country at present,
40 $40 having been reported in SO States,
New York City and the District OF
Columbia.
kansas leads all the States in the
| number of reported cases with 1886.
California being next with 1926.
Other States with more than a thou
sand cases include: Montana, 4.580;
South Carolina, 5,145; Oregon, 1,466,
and Colorado, 1885.
AS the Public Health Service gave out
figures on the disease, reports of schools
closing continued, the majority being
from the South.
North Carolina State, at Raleigh, and
Lander College, Greenwood. S. c., have
suspended as precautionary measure.
The schools and also the theaters at
Columbia, S. c., have closed, as have
| the public schools at High Point. N. G.
Inability to obtain nurses was given as
the reason for suspension at the Uni
versity of Georgia, Athens, Ga, and
the Athens public schools have tenn
porarily shut their doors. This action
was also taken at Council Bluffs, Iowa,
and an outbreak occurring in schools
near Monongahela, Pa, a State sup
posed to be comparatively free from in
| f1uenza. was reported. Chicora College
| for Women at Columbia, S. c., planned
| to close Friday.
The outbreak caused the cancellation
of the annual meeting of the Southern
| Live Stock Association at Raleigh. The
| disease in a mild form has made its
| appearance at the Norfolk naval base,
| Norfolk, Va.
| The present outbreak was first no
| ticed on the Pacific Coast and Califor-
| MIA. several motion picture actors and
actresses getting into dispatches when
| they had influenza in a mild form.
| From the Pacific Coast 1t has spread
Eastward and Westward, first being
commented on by Health Service off,
cials few days ago. At that time the
advice, Go to bed and stay in bed" for
| those stricken, was giveni