Influenza Gains While Hospital Plan Is Rushed

*City and state health officials and organizations appealed to the USPHS for equipment and facility renovation for the emergency hospital (Sophie Gumbel building); Dr. Oscar Dowling, President of the State Board of Health, Dr. William H. Robin, president of city Board of Health, Dr. GM Corput, Gulf Div. RED CROSS representative and LA/MS/AL relief representative, were present at meeting (names in article); outcome: USPHS cannot promise funds; RED CROSS already begun installing water and lights; Dowling: meantime, Governor Ruffin G. Pleasant might disburse funds to extend Charity Hospital’s flu services; Charity Hospital overcrowding is alarming*Physicians’ “continued failure” to report cases is hampering relief efforts*Citizens asked to make calls to physicians/nurses earlier rather than later in the day to relieve strain on them, and to ensure that as many people as possible receive car*Crowds on Canal street have decreased every day since beginning of closure orders; businesses crippled not only because fewer customers, but also because many clerks out sick; several stores called off annual sales scheduled to take place next week; because drugs are in high demand, drug store clerks at a premium*Soda fountains reminded to obey strict sanitary rules; if not, will be closed * DD Curran, president of the New Orleans Railway and Light Company, left for Gulf Coast yest 10/11 – believes he has flu; asks Dowling for Health Dept’s cooperation in devising a passenger volume rule and methods to enforce such rule; Nelson Brown, manager of street railway co., said to Dr. William H. Robin, president of city Board of Health that he would take issue up today 10/12*Situation at Camp Martin improving – many of the 100 cases reported have been released*Emergency Motor Corps collaborating w/RED CROSS Sanitary Troops*W. M. Silver, employment manager at Doullut & William H Shipbuilding Company denied rumor yest that company’s local plant had closed; cited that of over 500 employees, only 8 reported illNewspaper article1, 1