Ogden Daily Standard | 1918-10-28 | Page 4 | Three Weeks of Epidemic

THREE WEEKS OF EPIDEMIC. One of our doctors says this is not an epidemic, but a plague and he may bo right. So far tho doctors havo boon puzzled, as tho present influenza has a greater percentage of pneumonia eases than similar epidemics in the past and the pneumonia develops more rapidly and with moro distressing symptoms. But at that, Ogden and Utah generally general-ly are not as severely afflicted as othor parts of tho country. An eastern traveler trav-eler Is quoted as saying: "The east has been for the last month, and is still being scourged with j the influenza plague. Tho epidemic has been bad from the start and appeared ap-peared to bo at Its height while I was in the cast. I was told of 22 deaths occurring in a hospital In a place of j 20,000 In one night. Statements more or less official wore made that deaths! wero coming infinitely faster than the authorities could dispose of the bodies. I was informed that In a large measure meas-ure funeral ceremonies were being dispensed with almost altogether, and that when death occurred the body was immediately placed in a casket and rough box and convoyed to the burial ground to await its regular turn for interment. Tho relator declared de-clared that in several cemeteries he had visited more than a score of coffins cof-fins rested on topjof the ground waiting wait-ing for tho sexton." This is a gloomy story, but it proves jthat Ogden is escaping with a comparatively com-paratively small number of fatalities, which Is due, no doubt, to the favorable favor-able weather, up to last Saturday and i the purifying effect of our mountain air. Sunshine and fresh air will kill tho germs of influenza or any other, disease. Last week Boston's health authorities authori-ties lifted the quarantine. This' Is most encouraging as it indicates that the epidemic runs its course in 'about three weeks. Boston was the first city to be afflicted in the tFnited States and passed through the scourge with a death list of -1000, or ono to every 200 of population. Ogden must havo 160 deaths to equal that ratio. oo