Influenza Is Now Past the Blue Ridge, Communities Asking for Help, 1918

“Influenza Is Now Past the Blue Ridge,” from the High Point Review, Oct. 11, 1918

Epidemic Spreads to West and Reaches Most Acute Stage in East. . . Dr. Rankin Asks for Army Corps. . . Requests Public Health Service to ‘Borrow’ Army Doctors Who Are Awaiting Calls

The influenza situation in North Carolina Saturday reached the most serious state since the outbreak of the malady. Reports to the State Health officer indicated that the disease had spread beyond the Blue Ridge in the west and had reached its most acute stage in the east.

Dr. W.S. Rankin, State health officer, asked Surgeon General Rupert Blue of the U.S. Public Health Service, by wire, for immediate assistance with both physicians and nurses, suggesting to Dr. Blue that in the event the public health service could not furnish assistance in North Carolina, Surgeon General Grogas of the United States Army, be requested to call into service the army medical corps. Many physicians throughout the country who have applied for commissions and are awaiting calls to service will be available.

The Public Health Service, co-operating with Mayor Charles Stiles, in charge of the work in the state, now has about 12 physicians, the most of whom are in Wilmington. The State Board of Health, together with the U.S.P.H.C., has 32 physicians at various points in the state and about the name number of nurses. Part of the nurses were supplied through the American Red Cross.

The request to Surgeon-General Blue from Dr. Rankin is for the use of a portion of the army medical corps during the present influenza emergency. Major Stiles, at Wilmington, was advised of this action and he informed Dr. Rankin that he would section the request.

Appearance of influenza in epidemic form was reported yesterday in Haywood and Macon counties. Rossman in Transylvania county asked for a doctor. Yanceyville asked for two doctors and a nurse. Jackson asked for one doctor and a nurse. Albemarle, reporting 800 cases, asked for two doctors and six nurses. Clinton asked for two nurse, and Youngsville asked for one nurse.

Three hundred and fifty cases were reported at Newton, 96 at Shelby, 400 at Winston-Salem, 2,000 at Goldsboro and 1,500 at Rocky Mount. Goldsboro and Rocky Mount both asked for doctors and nurses.