What, No Epidemic?

Last week citizens in the eastern U. S. kept a wary eye out for two possible epidemics.

Influenza. The epidemic of mild influenza on the West Coast (TIME, Dec. 16) appeared to be petering out there. From the coast, the disease traveled south, striking Texas and Oklahoma, but with waning force. Hardest hit was the little town of Alexandria, La. where authorities estimated at least 30,000 flu cases.

As yet there were few signs of the disease on the eastern seaboard. Only large city stricken was Montreal, Quebec, where many factories and business houses were closed or on part time.

Typhoid. Fortnight ago, workmen accidentally let the dirty Genesee River water flow into Rochester's water mains (TIME, Dec. 23). Since the typhoid bacillus may take as long as 42 days to incubate, Rochesterians last week still had days of suspense ahead of them. Many were cheered when a former superintendent of waterworks made the startling confession that the same mistake had been made several times before, "without too much publicity."

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