. ▁ ▁His ▁ten ure ▁at ▁Camp ▁Lee ▁was ▁short , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁soon ▁called ▁to ▁undert ake ▁similar ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁port ▁in ▁New port ▁News , ▁Virginia ▁where ▁troops ▁emb ark ed ▁for ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Europe . ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁primarily ▁brought ▁in ▁to ▁help ▁resolve ▁a ▁management ▁situation ▁involving ▁health ▁service ▁personnel , ▁and ▁with ▁his ▁easy - going ▁manner ▁but ▁compet ent ▁management ▁skills ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁get ▁things ▁working ▁smooth ly , ▁bringing ▁pra ises ▁from ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Washington . ▁ ▁Again , ▁Dra per ' s ▁service ▁in ▁New port ▁News ▁was ▁short ened ▁when ▁influen za ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁New ▁England , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁put ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁relief ▁efforts ▁there . ▁ ▁This ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁flu ▁became ▁global ▁in ▁scope ▁and ▁developed ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁dead liest ▁natural ▁dis aster s ▁in ▁human ▁history , ▁giving ▁Dra per ▁a ▁great ▁respect ▁for ▁the ▁disease . ▁ ▁He ▁at ▁first ▁worked ▁in ▁Boston ▁and ▁sometimes ▁sat ▁in ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁meet ings ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁Governor ▁Cal vin ▁C ool idge ▁when ▁an ▁update ▁on ▁the ▁flu ▁situation ▁was ▁needed . ▁ ▁Without ▁the ▁avail ability ▁of ▁ant ib iot ics ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁medical ▁personnel ▁found ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁benef icial ▁to ▁get ▁the ▁flu ▁vict ims ▁out ▁of ▁crow ded ▁hosp it als , ▁where ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁would ▁die , ▁and ▁into ▁t ents ▁where ▁they ▁would ▁get ▁a ▁lot ▁more ▁fresh ▁air . ▁ ▁According ▁to