Lid Order Affecting Whole City

• “Developments in the influenza situation before next Wednesday are to determine whether the most sweeping ban in the history of Cincinnati is to be put into effect by the Board of Health as a public health measure.”• Board of Health made this announcement after their executive session, which convened after the open session, where most of the Board wanted to re-establish the quarantine from October and November.• “If there is no improvement in the situation by next Wednesday, the board announced, every line of business and industry, excepting those necessary to the sustenance of citizens is to be closed tight.”• The “large delegation” at the meeting, including spokesmen for theatrical managers, theatrical employees, places of amusement, churches, and saloon keepers protested this decision, which they felt was “unjust discrimination.”• These individuals agreed a general ban was okay, but that “exemption of any class of business or industry from the board’s ruling” was not acceptable.• Mayor Galvin spoke at the meeting on behalf of 50 citizens, primarily clergymen.• Mayor Galvin said that the Board of Health had serious issues to deal with, and they should act in their best judgment. He went on to say that churches are rarely crowded and open only one day a week, and merchants would suffer from being closed during the Christmas season.• Mayor Galvin: “If persons are deprived of their Christmas cheer because of their inability to earn money there will be much unhappiness. I can understand why any man in business should desire to keep his place open, but the interests of all should be considered carefully before a decision is reached.”• Safety Director John R. Holmes said that the situation at the GH was serious, and that the board should close all places or none, but he preferred the first suggestion• Several theatrical managers protested the closing of theaters while other “activities” were permitted to occur. Saloon keepers, represented by Howard Ragland, said that instead of closing the entire saloon, there should just be a limit on the number of people that may be inside of the saloon.• The Central Labor Council, led by Henry Ott, protested factories and workshops being included in the closing ban.• The Social Dept. of the Federation of Churches, led by Fred W. Church, said that while pastors were “considering seriously” voluntarily stopping church services, the organization objected to being discriminated against by the ban. He said that “the churches would abide by any order issued by the board” that was not of this nature.• Health Officer William H. Peters submitted a report to the board that listed 1,987 new cases during first six days of this week versus 711 cases in total last week. Deaths increased from 78 to 98 for this period. The report also included information from interviewed physicians, the majority of which felt the Board of Health should take action.• Health Officer William H. Peters said that the epidemic became worse after the Nov. 11th peace celebrations, and the mortality rate increased on Nov. 29th up to the present. He said that this increase in new cases was due to more physicians reporting cases.• President of the Board Dr. George A. Fackler said that he would like to re-establish the ban in effect previously, and this was motioned by Dr. E. Gustave Zinke, another member. Though the board discussed the issue, there was no vote during open session.• If there is a ban put into place next Wednesday, only drugstores (for prescriptions), butcher shops, grocery stores, bakeries, fruit stores, and restaurants will be allowed to remain open.• Yesterday, the Health Dept. received reports that indicated a small decrease in new cases. It listed 407 new cases, 203 of which were children under 14. Thursday, there were 554 cases, so there was a decrease. 22 deaths were reported today, which is the same as Thursday.• Yesterday, there were 40 new cases and 6 deaths reported at GH. I think the total number of cases there is 874 and 111 of those have pneumonia, but it is difficult to read.• Superintendent of GH Dr. Walter E. List said that the “only encouraging news” was that about the same number of patients was discharged as admitted in the past two days.• Cincinnati Traction Company officials told Health Officer William H. Peters that they would act right away to decrease the crowding on the street cars at rush hours, including putting more cars on the lines as soon as they could find men to run them.• The Civil Service Commission postponed all Civil Service examinations during December unless they were of an emergency nature.• Superintendent of Schools Randall J. Condon said that when the Board of Health says it is okay to do so, public schools will reopen, even if it is only a week before the Christmas holiday. This was in response to a rumor that if schools did not reopen soon, they would not reopen until Jan. 1st.• Students of Woodward HS protested the school closing on the grounds that the building was clean and lunchrooms were cleaner than conditions at home. School authorities still intend to comply with the Board of Health’s school closing rule so that the epidemic is ended in “the shortest time possible.”• Catholic high schools closed yesterday “indefinitely” due to poor student attendance.• 2 new cases in students’ army training corps at Univ. Cincinnati, and no new cases in the naval corps there.• 6 total cases there, 2 other soldiers with bad colds that are isolated.• “The proportion of those afflicted is small, as the corps comprises 1,000 men.”• President of Univ. Cincinnati C. W. Dabney announced that the university will not be closing because less than 5% of people are afflicted with influenza. Night classes will also be held.• Former Mayor of Cincinnati and Board of Education member Dr. Louis Schwab said that he thinks the epidemic is serious, and all schools should be closed until the danger of influenza has passed.• Dr. Schwab said that he has been extremely busy taking care of influenza patients and that Cumminsville district is in a very dire epidemic situation. He would like the Board of Health to pass a ban similar to the one in place previously.• Safety Director John R. Holmes requested to County Commissioners that the County Infirmary be used as an emergency hospital, which was granted yesterday. Inmates were all removed from this infirmary to Cincinnati Infirmary, Hartwell.• Yesterday, Major William M. Day of the First Battalion of the Cincinnati Home Guards told his four companies to stop drilling until the epidemic has improved.• Dr. John Rosenthal, dentist, and Felix Koch, magazine writer, are both at GH in “serious” condition.• Fire Chief Barney J. Houston bought 500 fumigation containers for “all fire apparatus quarters.” • Four more city firemen contracted influenza yesterday, and had to be taken home. Chief Barney J. Houston said that the nursing staff at GH was so overwhelmed that the firemen could not be “properly” taken care of.• Directors of the Hyde Park Business Club postponed annual election of officers “indefinitely,” as requested by the Board of Health.• Vice President of the East End Bank Edward Raber died due to cerebral hemorrhage, not influenza, which had been previously reported.Newspaper article1