New York Health Officials Take Precautions Against a European Influenza Epidemic

Municipal and government health officials in New York are taking unusual precautions to keep an influenza epidemic now prevalent in parts of Europe from reaching the United States, Health Commissioner Harris told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

His office is in daily telegraphic communication with European health authorities and with the surgeon general of public health in Washington, Harris said. He reported no alarming sign of the disease gaining a foothold in the city; on the contrary, a gradual but steady decline in cases had been noted since the second week of December. Immigration officials at Ellis Island had seen no increase.

In Europe, King Christian of Denmark has a slight attack of influenza, and a reception for members of the Riksdag set for Friday has been postponed, the Evening Star reported from Copenhagen. The Herald’s headline said Switzerland and France were exceptionally hard hit, and a League of Nations bulletin reported by the Evening Star said the same, adding that Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Spain were also affected.