Armstrong – Table of Contents

to duty with the Armed Forces. Given the extent of the epidemic, it was impossible,
generally, to provide enough physicians and nurses to treat individuals, but in areas
where this could be accomplished, all personnel worked devotedly in treating the
patients. “Probably the most important accomplishment was organization of the local
resources in advance of the height of the epidemic. Plans were made for opening
emergency hospitals as needed, volunteer nurses were organized, emergency kitchens
were established, and, in this way, many communities were able to take care of
themselves when the epidemic reached them” (4).
The volume of calls for assistance increased daily from all sections of the country,
and the Public Health Service decided to appoint a Director of each state. In many
instances the State Health Officer took on the position of Field Director and, in this
capacity, directed the activities of Public Health Service personnel within his state. In
other instances, an officer of the Service was detailed to cooperate with the State Health
Officer in directing relief, and the PHS placed these officers on duty October 15, 1918.
All requests for aid were funneled to the State Health Officer in charge and he made the
judgment about how personnel and resources were to be allocated within the state.
Each state made daily telegraphic reports to the PHS Bureau of the progress of the
epidemic and the need for assistance. In this way the PHS was able to maintain an overall
picture of local needs and could determine where personnel could be sent to be of
greatest use. “During the influenza epidemic, 64 commissioned officers, approximately
one-third of the Corps, were assigned to full time influenza duty. Between October 1,
1918 and June 30, 1919, the PHS employed 1,085 additional physicians, 703 nurses and
nurses’ aides and 328 clerks to deal with the epidemic. Many of these epidemic workers,