Show Flu Fu Sweeps louisiana City Closes Schools NEW ORLEANS Dec 16 UP UP-A UP A mild form of influenza but not like the influenza of the last World war has spread Louisiana causing schools and theaters to be closed at Lake Charles and striking 15 per cent of the population in Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria Alex Alex- andria Dr Robert H. H of the state board of health said Monday Dr described the disease disease disease dis dis- dis- dis ease attaining epidemic proportions proportions proportions as a fairly mild upper respiratory infection He said it might be considered as a ya mild form of influenza The city health officer of Lake Charles reported to Dr Monday that he had closed the schools and theaters of that city as a precautionary measure The executive officer of the state board of health said he also had re re- re a report from Dr R. R B. B Wallace city health officer of Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria Al Al- that approximately 15 per cent of the population in that city ity was suffering from apparently the same disease Dr said he had telegraphed telegraphed telegraphed tele tele- graphed all parish health officers for or reports on the epidemic He emphasized however that the epidemic had a low mortality rate and that so far he had received received received re re- re- re no reports of deaths from it Many cases also were reported in n Lafayette The ailment was described as not necessarily confining but causing dizziness Across cross the river from Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria Alexan Alexan- dria where national guardsmen guards guards- men from Michigan and Wisconsin Wiscon Wiscon- sin are stationed at Camp Baure- Baure gard the chief surgeon reported relatively few influenza cases and attributed this to the fact that most of the men were accustomed to cold being from northern states and to the fact that living conditions conditions conditions condi condi- in the camp were far better than in town 1 Alexandria is in the heart of the Piney Woods belt normally considered a healthy region One of the largest government Veterans' Veterans hospitals in the south is a few miles away At Carville miles southeast is the only leper colony in the continental United States Stales The epidemic was attributed to congestion Newcomers were bedding bedding bedding bed bed- ding down in garages stores old warehouses and other abandoned dilapidated buildings Both the city and parish jails had cots lined up in their cells celIs and were renting them for 1 a night There was no room for prisoners Hot Hotels ls rented chairs in the lobby for a nights night's rest Narrow streets of this old river town were lined with automobiles on both sides with families living and sleeping in them Along the highways into the swamps and across rolling hills there were rude huts built of pine boughs palmettos or rough boards advertising sleeping room 50 cents Fires of outdoor camps where men awaited calls to work dotted the riverside beyond the levee School attendance had been cut 30 per cent but schools were still open DENVER Dec 16 UP UP-An UP An epidemic epidemic epidemic epi epi- epi- epi demic of colds and mild Influenza was reported at the army air corps technical school Monday Lieuten Lieuten- Colonel ant-Colonel Louis B B. Field said that soldiers had been hospitalized hospital hospital- but that none of the cases was serious |