Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-11

tCOnLlQuSu FROM fUSt rage.
are lacking in the means sufficiently to
protect and safeguard public health,
This was sponsored by DR.. Mccormick.
Such a system, he declared, would en-
able rural communities to keep pace
in health protection with the most
favored cities.
The report on the conferences COM
mittee on epidemiology, submitted by
DR.. w. H. Frost, was approved and the
conference took stand on two ques-
tions submitted to it in addition to
approving the committee recommended
tons.
In view of the absence of real knowl-
edge as to the causes of influenza,
the conference voted it was not adviS-
able at the present time to adopt a elm
ical definition of influenza An attempt
to do so, in the opinion of some
delegates, would lead to unfortunate
results" and be the means of spreading
additional worry.
Favors Detailed Reports.
The conference, however. did GO on
record in favor of including influenza
in the list of notifiable diseases and
backed up suggestions that detailed re-
ports be issued whenever the disease
makes its appearance. Just how these
reports should be made to conform to
various State regulations which do not
require notification, was question that
remains to be threshed out.
DR.. Frost N his report recommended
that Public Health Service continue
and extend its statistical work: that
special surveys of morbidity be con-
Quoted; that State and local health
officers undertake special studies of the
disease in times of epidemics and
stressed also the need of careful clinical
studies describing mild or doubtful, as
well as severe, types of influenza.
Case of Simple Rules.
The first report adopted by the con-
ference vas that submitted by it's COM
mittee On preventive measures which
laid down code of simple rules for the
public to follow in guarding against
spread of the disease and as a means of
preventing the frequent complications
that follow infection. These regulations
follow generally those promulgated by
the Public Health Service at the be-
ginning of the epidemic.
The preventive rules adopted include
advice against mingling freely in crowds,
care in personal cleanliness and habits,
means to prevent the catching of colds
and upper respiratory infections which
might lead to influenza, and methods to
follow in case of catching influenza.
DR.. Simon FleXner of New York, head
of the Rockefeller Institute, chairman
of the research committee. in another
report adopted by the conference rec
commended that laboratory investigation
be carried on, but he said that his in
veStigationS should be contingent upon
continued widespread prevalence. He
suggested that if the epidemic continues
experimentation should be carried on
with lower animals This would include
incubation of the animals and expert
mentation with various therapies.
Remedies Discussed.
In the matter of prevention and cure
OF the disease. the exact nature uf
which is not precisely known or under
stood by the medical world, the eff
ticacy OF vaccineS, soda treatment. iso-
lation and disinfectant were discussed
by delegates to the conference who
have had personal experience in the
specific matters.
DR.. M. j. RoSenau, professor of pre-
ventiVe medicine at Harvard. a member
of committee of scientists who re-
Gently announced the discovery of
new pneumonia serum, said yesterday
that his committee would meet here at
once. At the same time, DR.. Rosenau
declared that in his opinion nobody
ever died of influenza but that deaths
attributed were in reality due TO pncu-
monia.
He expressed confidence that the
stimulus which the present conference
Will give to the study of the little-knOWn
disease of influenza will lead eventually
to specific cure, probably a serum.
For 10 years, he explained, his commit
tee has been at work on an extensive
study of both pneumonia and infiuenza.
The present epidemic, however, he de-
scribed as the finest opportunity" they
have yet had to study material which
is available only during epidemics.
After the committee meets" DR..