On November 14, with only three patients as inmates, it was decided to close the hospital. Therefore, two of the three patients were transferred to the City Hospital, and one was transferred to the Mercy Hospital. At that time an average of about thirty new cases of the pandemic were being reported each day in Wilkes-Barré. In consequence, the Armory Hospital was left intact for a period of about two weeks; but as, during that time, no new cases were received, the wards were dismantled and the building was fumigated and finally closed to the public on December 7.
All articles of food remaining on hand at the closing of the hospital were equally divided and donated to the Wilkes-Barré City Hospital, Mercy Hospital and the Wyoming Valley Homœopathic Hospital. Other articles of use and value, after being properly fumigated, were turned over to the City of Wilkes-Barré authorities for use in the city’s Hospital for Contagious Diseases, then in course of construction.
The total number of patients admitted to the Armory Emergency Hospital was 192, of which number 132 were males and 60 were females. Ninety-four of the patients were pneumonia cases, and of these sixty-six died. Three died from influenza. Thirty-five patients died within twenty-four hours after their admission to the hospital. The largest number of patients admitted in one day was eighteen—on October 17. The largest number of patients in the hospital on any one day was 62; the largest number of deaths on any one day was seven, and the largest number discharged on any one day was fourteen. Eighty-six of the patients were under thirty years of age.
Of the 192 patients received into the Armory Emergency Hospital 102 were from Wilkes-Barré; 20 from Edwardsville; 22 from Swoyerville; 7 from Ashley; 6 from Plymouth; 5 each from Kingston and Miners Mills; 4 each from Askam, Parsons and Forty Fort; 3 from Maltby; 2 each from Larksville, Sugar Notch, Nanticoke and Buttonwood; 1 each from Plainsville and Dorranceton.
The Plains Emergency Hospital was closed on November 18, at which time Lieut. H. R. Lipscomb, U.S.A., was the physician in charge, and Miss May Conlon, a Graduate Nurse, was the chief nurse. Five different physicians (not more than one at any given time) had served on the staff, together with four Graduate Nurses, three practical nurses, six volunteer nurses, one medical student, three orderlies and three enlisted men. Fifty patients were admitted (31 influenza cases, 18 pneumonia cases and one case of croup), and of this number thirteen of the pneumonia patients died—three of them within twenty-four hours after their admission to the hospital.
The Dupont Emergency Hospital was closed on December 3, at which time Dr. James S. Dixon was the physician in charge, and Miss Bessie Fadden, Graduate Nurse, was the chief nurse—she having succeeded Miss Herman on November 19. There had been on the staff four Graduate Nurses, five practical nurses (who worked part of the time), two sanitary detachments, and a number of Sisters of the Bernardine Order who served as volunteer nurses. One hundred and three patients were admitted to the hospital, of whom 83 were influenza and 20 were pneumonia cases. Twelve of the latter died—five of them within twenty-four hours after their admission to the hospital.
The following information, concerning influenza and pneumonia cases treated in some of the permanent hospitals located in the 5th District, has been derived from official reports made to the County Medical Inspector, covering the period from October 1, 1918, to January 1, 1919.
Wyoming Valley Homœopathic Hospital: Total number of influenza cases, 68; pneumonia cases, 55; total number of deaths, 27.
Mercy Hospital: Total number of influenza cases, 133; pneumonia cases, 131; total number of deaths, 87—including 22 who died within twenty-four hours after their admission to the hospital.
Wilkes-Barré City Hospital: Total number of cases, 457, comprising 223 influenza cases and 234 influenza-pneumonia cases. Two hundred and thirty-four of the number were male and 223 were female patients. The total number of deaths was 135. Of the members of the hospital staff, 72 contracted pneumonia at the hospital, and four of them died.