"Flu" Figures Mounting

Authorities think physicians are not reporting all cases. Druggists overwhelmed with prescriptions. 6 deaths from flu and 5 from pneumonia, 244 new cases reported in 24 hours ending at 10 am yesterday. 682 cases in the counties for a total since January of 8460. The city had 698 for the same period. Since the beginning of the epidemic last September 66350 cases have been recorded at the office of the State Board of Health and 22752 at the local department, or approximately 90000 for the city and counties. The State Board of Health declared that it saw no reason for the closing of schools and churches in the counties. 'It is apparent that no regulations would have been put into effect at any point in the State if the county medical officers were not free agents in such matters ... One view of the situation is that the schools and churches were closed solely because of local sentiment and a fear that the disease would again become rampant if children and older people congregated in large numbers. There is no ground for such a fear, the officials say'. Latest outbreak not as virulent as previous one as indicated by the small number of deaths. Disease is affecting children and adults. A convention organized by the State Board of Health will take place in February. 'A new system of reporting communicable diseases will be presented and discussed and a complete reorganization of present methods may result'.Newspaper article1