The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-16
Her ILL
AND HOSPITALS REFUSED A Pref
TY NURSE.
GEORGIA LEE A PRISONER
POLICE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF
HER AT THE STATION.

Police Surgeon Osborne Believes
Proper Surgical Treatment Would
Eject n Curc-Gave Certificate
for Park View Sanitarium, but Adj
mittance Was Refused-Superin-
tendent of Police Reilly Had to
Take Miss Lee-She Occupies Big
Room at Police station With Negro
Prisoner as Her Watcher-Young
Woman Lost Her Reason Nursing
in Liberty County-Her's n Pitiable
Case.
Refused as patient by the hospitals,
Miss George Lee, pretty nurse, is
held in the big room at the station
house. She is suffering from dementia,
which Police Surgeon Osborne says
could probably be cured with proper
treatment. The physician furnished a
certificate for Miss Lee to enter the
Park View Sanitarium, but because of
her condition she was refused admit
lance.
Miss Lee is only % years of age, and
is attractive in person. Her condition
is pitiable, and she is watched by a
negro woman prisoner at the station
house. The young woman spent the
greater portion of yesterday in dancing
about the big room, and in singing
hymns. For moments she was ration
al, but Immediately she would replapse
into a state of dementia
She spent last night on two wooden
benches, with the negro woman watch
ing over her. Miss Lee complained of
pains and asked for persons in the
city with whom she is acquainted. She
spoke of relatives, but at no time was
her voice above a whisper. She ap-
peared anxious to have some one near
her, and asked that she be caresSed.
Miss Lees case is a particularly sad
one, although with the proper care
it is believed that she will recover She
was reared in the Savannah Female
Orphan Asylum, where she is said to
have been placed when three years
old, by relatives in Dillingham; county,
where she was born. She was indus
trious and was found to be invaluable
in the sick room. When she left the
orphan home she took up that work
Miss Lee has been employed by
prominent people in this city as
nurse. Some time ago she went to Lib
erty county to nurse the wife of DIR.
Edward Miller. 1t was while in that
family that she lost her reason. The
first noticeable symptom of dementia
was when she insisted upon being al
lowed to eat alone and before the
members of the family. Other symp-
toms developed and she was brought
to this city by DR.. Miller on Saturday.
The Liberty county physician expected
that there would be no trouble in get
ting her in one of the hospitals as
patient.
She was taken to police headquarters
and Supt. Reilly agreed to send
her to the sanitarium in the
police ambulance. Police Surgeon
Osborne furnished the certificate,
and did not apprehend that there
would be any difficulty in securing her
admittance. When she was refused at
the Santarium, she had to be taken
back to the station house, and made
as comfortable as possible under the
circumstances. There are no accom-
moda tions for sick people at the police
station and there Is no appropriation
for feeding persons other than well
and hearty prisoners.
superintendent Reilly will call the
attention of Health Officer Drummer
and Mayor Myers to the case to-day.
The city and county both make ap-
preparations to the hospitals and it is
possible that an effort will be made
to induce one of the hospitals to ac-
cept Miss Lee as a patient. 1t is con-
tended that she is not a hopeless lu-
matte and that with the proper care
and surgical attention, which she can
secure without payment, will be able
to recover her reason. The superin-
tendent said that he tried other hos
pitalS but thew would not accent her