Читать книгу One Hundred Years Later - Alberto Vazquez-Figueroa - Страница 4

The Provincial Board of Health of my presidency, during today’s session, has established the following:

Having considered the communication from the Provincial Health Inspector by which he manifests that the flu epidemic that was reported some days ago in the Capital and some villages of the province has spread considerably, invading many villages and causing many deaths, this Board, having taken into consideration the provisions of articles 153 and 154 of the General Health Instruction as well as the Sovereign Ordinance of last 24th of April, has agreed to declare the existence of an epidemic in the province of Burgos, and since some villages have committed the imprudence, despite what this Government previously ordered, of celebrating local festivities that have caused a rapid infection among their neighbors, thus generating situations of distress, I insist once again to those who were not sufficiently convinced of the grave danger that this entails, to abstain from celebrating said festivities and gatherings.

The sad experience of what occurred in other villages such as Los Balbases, where young men gathered and became infected with the disease, and in a matter of days the village mentioned reached the number of eight hundred infected out of their one thousand two hundred neighbors, is enough reason to severely punish those who do not abide by these measures.

Likewise, I wish to remind that the infection spreads by droplets of saliva that are projected when a person speaks, coughs, etc., and which people surrounding then breathe. Refrain then from staying in closed or badly ventilated premises where a large group might gather, such as taverns, cafés, etc.

Keep the windows of dormitories open during the day and air all establishments with frequency. Stay out in the country for as long as possible, as fresh air, water and daylight are the best disinfectants. Keep your mouths clean, follow the advice of doctors and disregard those ignoramuses who encourage the consumption of alcohol and tobacco as preventive remedies, since their effects are more harmful now than ever.

Burgos, on the 4th of October of 1918

The Governor: Andrés Alonso López