Show IS AN INFECTION Epidemic of Pneumonia in New York Making1 a Bad Record as a Contagious Disease New York Dec 23 Owing to the unusual un-usual number of deaths in New York from pneumonia In the I last six weeks a corps of physicians has been appointed by the department of health to make an investigation in-vestigation of the causes of the epidemic and their report will be In the hands of Health Commissioner Lcdcrlc In a few days In the past week 272 fatal pneumonia cases were recorded That IB the largest number of deaths from the disease in the history of tho t olty The IIre lOlls week til deaths occurred and St was then thought that conditions would Improve Vhcn the disease first became prevalent parly in November the deaths were largely large-ly confined to the localities inhabited by working pcoplo but within tho last two weeks there have boon an many deaths proportionately among the wealthier classis Many physicians regard this I as another evidence that pneumonia is an Infectious In-fectious disease It I I Is tho general belief in the health department that the opl rtemic Is due to the recent sudden changes I in the weather I |