The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-03-05
DEADLY MENINGITIS
Three Children in the Family of Dell
Williams Die within Five Days
from this Dread Disease.

Mention was made in this paper last
week of case of cerrebro spinal menin-
gifts at the home OF ]. H. Sinclair in
Woodland township, and it seems that
there is great danger of an epidemic, as
three children in the family of Dell
Williams, who lives near Lineville, died
within five days, two of the little ones
being buried in the same casket. The
Lineville Tribune Of last week gives
the following account of the dire afflic-
tion of the Williams family:
sudden outbreak of cerrebro spinal
meningitis occurred the latter part of
last week in the neighborhood north
and northwest of this city. The first
case was that of Nellie Sinclair, the
little daughter of John Sinclair residing
near Bracewell, in Decatur county ten
miles northwest of Lineville. She was
taken suddenly ill on Thursday while
at school and after being taken home,
DR.. CoontZ, of Woodland, was called who
pronounced it spinal meningitis. Later
DR.. Layton. of Leon, was called in con-
sultation with DR.. Cooptz. and he affirm
ed DR.. Coontz's diagnosis of the case.
The little patient suffered intensely for
a day or two, but later became easier
and it was reported yesterday that the
physicians had hopes of her recovery.
On Sunday morning the telephone
brought the shocking news to town
that two of Dell Williams children had
died the night previous of the deadly
disease. One of them, a little daughter
named Lima about four years, dying at
10 o'clock Saturday night and the other,
Roland, boy past five years of age, at
= o'clock Sunday morning. One had
been taken twenty and the other
twenty-four hours before death ended
their suffering. Yesterday morning
their youngest child, aged little over
two years, died of the same malignant
and fatal disease after only twelve
hours of suffering. DR.. G. E. Lovett, of
Mercer, was called in these cases, both
the Lineville physicians being in the
country when called. The two first of
the Williams children dying, were
buried in one casket at Evergreen
cemetery strictly in accordance with
the rules of the State Board of Health
governing infectious diseases, and was
under the direction of undertaken O. O.
Greenlee and was only attended by
those necessary to do the work. The
last little victim was buried in the
same manner yesterday afternoon.
Both the Sinclair and Williams families
and premises have been placed under
strict quarantine by the authorities
and every effort will be made to stop
the spread of the disease. The school
in the Sinclair district has been dis
missed for the term.
This community is shocked and start
led by the terrible calamity and every
heart is touched with the deepest sym
pathy for the stricken Williams family.
They had six children, three of whom
have been snatched away with a sudden
ness that appalls the stoutest heart.
An epidemic of the disease occurred
III Mercer county last winter and
spring. Of % cases that occurred in
the vicinity of Princeton, only three
recovered. 1t was not until late years
that the disease was regarded by ply
sicians as infections or contagious. but
nearly all now treat it as an infectious,
germ disease, the germ being the same
as that of pneumonia and la grippe.
The Iowa State Board of Health classes
it as such and it's rules require the
same strict precautionary measures by
the local authorities as in all other
Infectious or contagious diseases.