Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: November 2nd, 1918.

The medical men of Luton have had the busiest week of their lives, and today they are of the opinion that the fiend is at its worst. That is devoutly to be wished, for every street has its quotum of victims and not within living memory has there been such an epidemic in this town and neighbourhood.

All the doctors were fully occupied before the outbreak, and they are now working day and night, several of them far from fit for work. The chemists have been an enormous run on those medicines designed to ward off colds etc. Eucalyptus appears to be the favourite, and in half-a-dozen shops it was not procurable yesterday. Its pungent odour is exhaled from almost every household and the whole of the public institutions have been disinfected.

The Medical Officer of Health attended the meeting of clergy and ministers in the vestry of the old Parish Church yesterday. Every church was represented, and the meeting was of a harmonious character. It was unanimously agreed to keep the Sunday schools closed for two more Sundays, but in view of the fact that the Government have made no move towards the closing of theatres, music-halls, cinemas and other places of entertainment, the meeting felt that it was not incumbent upon them to dispense with public worship. They, however, agreed to reduce the services to one hour's duration morning and evening.

In spite of the utmost care and precautions to combat the malady, Messrs George Kent Ltd have almost 500 employees on the sick list. From the Diamond Foundry there are about 200 absentees; from Skefko Works the percentage of victims is about 12 per cent; at the Vauxhall Motors about 12½ per cent; and Commercial Cars Ltd are fortunate in having only about 70 away, and of this number the office staff has suffered most heavily in proportion.

Messrs Hewlett & Blondeau Ltd at Leagrave have sustained a sad loss by the death of Mr E. A. Fox, late foreman of the Erecting Department. He was attacked by influenza which developed into pneumonia, and notwithstanding the best medical attention he passed away at 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning. He was one of the small original band of skilled workers employed by the firm when they started the business in London and migrated with them when they came to Leagrave. Throughout the war he has been in charge of the department responsible for the correct finish and erection of all aeroplanes.

• News has reached Mr and Mrs Parrott, of 66 Chapel Street, that their son Pte Frederick Parrott (Sherwood Foresters) has been severely wounded by a sniper's bullet. It entered the left shoulder, leaving a gaping wound in the back. They have heard that he is out of danger and has been transferred to Monmouth, South Wales, and is progressing favourably.

• Pte A. H. Marston (Army Pay Corps), of 41 Ridgway Road, Luton, is now in hospital at Nottingham suffering from neurasthenia and trench feet, contracted while on service in France. His brother, Sgt Victor N. Marston (South Staffs Regiment) from Walsall, Staffs, who trained at Luton and Harpenden with the North Midland Division, was killed in action on September 28th, a month prior to his 21st birthday.

• There was a good attendance of buyers on Thursday at Mr Albert Laird's Sundon sale of large and middle-white pigs. The herd has made great strides in the last few years, and the sale offered one of the best lots of pigs offered by auction. The total result was £2,028 10s 6d. Among the buyers was a representative of the King, who purchased a fine breeding middle-white gilt. A representative of Lady Wernher also made several purchases.

• We understand that Mr G. Wistow Walker, headmaster of Old Bedford Road Boys' School, Luton, has resigned his appointment under the Luton Borough Education Authority after 20 years at the school. Mr Walker was recently appointed District Secretary of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and is hon secretary of the Friendly Society's Council, and he will now be able to enter those departments of public life from which his official position under the local governing body barred him.

• The gusty wind was responsible for a rather serious accident in Guildford Street, Luton, this morning. Messrs W. G. Dunham & Sons have been engaged in executing repairs to No 48, and some scaffolding and ladders were erected at the rear and front of the house. A ladder was suddenly blown over just as Mrs Moyes, the tenant of the house, was passing and she was struck on the head. She was taken into the house, where it was found that her injuries were of a somewhat serious nature, and she was conveyed to the Bute Hospital.

• Luton's perky little wartime journal, the 'N.T.F.', reached another milestone on Tuesday evening when the second annual meeting of the Committee was held at the Winter Assembly Hall. During the proceedings, Mr Hardy, of behalf of the Committee, handed to Councillor Primett a cheque for £300, bringing the total contributed by the 'N.T.F.' to the local Prisoner of War Fund to £1,200.