The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-12-14
ZERO WEATHER
SWEEPS COUNTRY
Respiratory Illness Report
ed Reaching Epidemic
Proportions
sy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

I
Temperatures near the zero
mark chilled the midwest a 81
night while cola wave bore down
OH the east.
Forecasters predicted w i n r
weather would continue today in
the North Central states after Their
mometers had registered such
readings as IL below zero at Du-
luth. Mimi, nine below at Sault
Ste. Marie, Mich, zero at Green
Bay, Wis, and Minneapolis, St.
Paul, Mimi, one above at Mil
waukee, four above at Chicago,
and seven above at Detroit and
Buffalo, N. Y.
. A cold wave warning was issued
for states in ths Ohio valley and
in the Middle and North Atlantic
regions. Lowest temperatures of
the season were expected today
ranging from Is below zero in up
per New York and northern New
England, to zero in the northern
parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania,
10 to Is above in Virginia, and
IS to 20 above in Tennessee.
The cheek tingi1ng winds uncov-
cred a sign of the times in Chi
cagos West Side hobo district. For
the first time in years no vagrant
sought shelter for the night in po-
lice stations. One desk sergeant
explained
IF they aren'. in the my.
they've got jobs -
A mild form of respiratory all
ment, similar to the grippe and
influenza. has reached epidemic
proportions in some sections of the
United States, health officers said
last night, but they stressed that
deaths were few
They said the ailment was of
a far less serious type than that
in England and Wales, where 709
deaths were reported in a single
week recently, and not to be COM
Pared with the influenza epidemic
that swept this country in 1915.
An average or one person in 10
was i'll in the hardesthit sections,
with propoltlonaie level of alb
senteeism in war plants and Of
fees. Absen+eeism in schools was
IS high as 30 per cent in some
cases.
The ailment, usually affecting
person for about five days, was
reported on the wane in O m
areas and on the increase in 9TH
ers. Physicians said current cold
weather in many sections would
ter.d to stop the spread.
The ailment extended from pop
ulous centers of the northeast
through the midwest to the coast
ard to sections of the south.
Philadelphia reported 100000
persons IL, and Washington, D c..
100, 1000. Or. Edward A. McLou ohlin
Rhode Island state health direc-
tot. estimated that 10 per cent of
that states population had bee
affected and said there was no
indication of waning at the pres
ent moment.
The outbreak was classified as
of epidemic proportions by DR.. Ed
ward S. Godfrey. New York state
health commissioner, but he said
no deaths had been attributed to
the ailment in the state.
The North Dakota health depart
nent, also emphasizing the mild
form, said there were $500 cases
in the state.
Louisville, Ky reported $4,000
rases. Doctors there said the ILL.,
ness was neither flu nor grippe,
''put much like both"
Two hundreds teachers were
i'll in Newark, N j., and one New
Jersey war plant reported a 20
per cent absenteeism.
Ford plants in the Detroit area
showed an 11.27 per cent absen-
teeism. The Detroit police depart
lnent, with 228 members sick. con-
sidered calling auxiliary assist
ance.