Naval History and Heritage Command

Surgeon General of the Navy William C. Braisted to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels

September 21, 1918.

Weekly statement of the Surgeon General to the Secretary of the Navy concerning health conditions in the Navy.

     During the week influenza cases have been reported in large numbers from the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th Naval Districts,1 and the disease has now assumed epidemic proportions in 5th Naval District2 and at Great Lakes.

     The epidemic is apparently on the decline in Boston and in Philadelphia, and seems to have reached its height in Newport and New London. It is still increasing at Quantico and Great Lakes. So far the Training Camp at Pelham Park with 21 cases to date and the Training Station at Hampton Roads with 83 cases have suffered comparatively little damage.

     The principal figures for the week are as follows:

     The incidence of other communicable diseases continues low; reports from shore stations in the United States showing, no

cerebro-spinal fever, 8 cases of diphtheria, 20 of malaria, 23 of measles, and 7 of scarlet fever.

     Diseases were reported from the entire Navy as follows: cerebro-spinal fever 5, diphtheria 21, malaria 43, measles 44, scarlet fever 7, and smallpox 1, and pneumonia 73 (exclusive of influenza pneumonia).

W.C. Braisted