Crowds Cause Of "Flu"

• In a recent report State Officer Seeley predicts that three days from today, on January 4th, Spanish influenza will increase in Portland. Five days later, on January 8th, he says that the number of deaths from influenza will increase. • Dr. Seeley: “About three days after any unusual mixing or massing of people affording close contact there is an increase in the number of cases reported. Thus we find each Tuesday high following Saturday’s exposures. After each of the peace celebrations and also following Halloween there was a sharp increase on the three days’ schedule. December 28 there was another high point, following Christmas exposures. We may expect another high point about January 3 or 4, following New Year’s celebration. About five days after an increase in the number of cases there is an increase in the number of deaths. Of all public gatherings or amusements, dances contribute the greatest number of cases. The disease is mostly spread by those who have it so mild they scarcely know they are sick, and by those who have recently recovered. How long a case remains a carrier is not definitely determined, but the general opinion at the meeting of the American Health Association put it at about three weeks. All country and city health officers are notified to quarantine cases sufficiently long so as to be reasonably sure they are no longer carriers. Quarantine measures properly applied are effective, but there is rather a large list of offenders who disregard quarantine, some innocently, some purposely.”• According to Dr. Seeley, of the 27,478 cases in Oregon, 11,560 have been in Portland.• There have been 841 deaths in Portland and 920 in the rest of the state. • The number of new cases for the past 24 hours (160) is a lot higher than the number of new cases that have been reported during the past two weeks. • A warrant for the arrest of Portland physician Dr. Fisch was filed after Dr. Parrish complained that Dr. Fisch failed to report a case of influenza at the beginning of the epidemic. This is the first warrant for arrest that has been filed since the City Council passed legislation that required doctors to report all fresh cases of influenza immediately to the Health Bureau. Dr. Fisch defends himself, claiming that he was not yet aware of the case’s diagnosis. Dr. Parrish is not satisfied with this explanation.Newspaper article1