Influenza Worst Plague In 86 Years

• Sautter says death of 426 from influenza make this the worst calamity since the 1832 epidemic of cholera in Albany• Sautter report requests additional nurses, and city health measures including municipal collection of ashes, refuse, and garbage; report states health staff is inadequate to cope with number of influenza cases• Sautter report deplores high infant mortality rate in Albany• Report: “The sanitary code of the state of New York has added pneumonia and influenza to the list of reportable communicable diseases”• Report: “In the fall and early winter there was a noticeable increase in typhoid fever, owing to the severity of the weather and the consequent waste of water…”• Policy: Health bureau offers free typhoid vaccine to the public; typhoid fever subsequently avoided in Albany• Policy: At the request of the health officer, Albany was placed under quarantine for rabies• Sautter urges public to boil water for culinary, drinking, and toilet problems • Sautter reports “tuberculosis is still a great scourge”• Dr. Thomas Ordway, dean of the Albany medical college, suggests medical students may be able to fill in the need for medical services• Two students, also U.S. Army servicemen, contracted influenza and died when providing service; Ordway expresses gratitude for services rendered• Described as a “capable” nurse, Miss Marion Sheahan, on delivery of services to the sick became ill with influenza and did not die• Chief milk inspector of the bureau of health, Dr. John F. Miller, rendered assistance until he became ill with influenza• Health officer Dr. Arthur G. Sautter reports to Commissioner of Public Safety J. Sheldon Frost that there were 11,238 cases of influenza in Albany during 1918, with 7,091 cases in October alone• Infant mortality rate in the city of Albany is “too high” according to Dr. Sautter• Sautter recommends sanitary inspectors make inspections at regular intervals• Sautter recommends municipality collect and dispose of all garbage, refuse, and ashes• Sautter notes that pavilion “G” at Albany hospital was recently completed in 1918 and ranks Albany as one of the first in the state of New York to treat influenza, and this building reached capacity• It is reported that 7,091 total cases of influenza with 420 deaths from the disease• Believed to be the worst calamity hitting the city since the cholera epidemic of 1832• Albany hospitals have reached capacity according to reportsCity government and bureau of health cooperate and provide aid during the epidemic, along with various other city departments including the commissioner of public works, city engineer, fire chief, police chief, president of the common council, commissioner of charities, and the superintendent of schoolsNewspaper articl