Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-22

Prominent physicians OF Atlanta unit
ed to-day in severe condemnation Of
the conditions which force fourteen
year-old Clarence Bigby, the doors of
every hospital I'm the city barred against
him and his life ebbing away in the
bafling grip OF cerebro- spinal menin-
gifts, which periodically has ravaged
whole communities, to lie almost neg
| lected in a rude. unsanitary room at
the Union Rescue mission, 234 Mariet-
Ia street where 1t not only is impossi-
BILE to treat him effectively. but where
the danger of contagion is a menace to
the city.
Atlanta physicians agree that the
dreaded disease should be isolated and
that the city should provide a place
where the cases may be taken that
there may not be a repetition of the
present situation which several of them
describe as a disgrace TO the city.
Although it came to light to-day that
there probably are a dozen other cases
of meningitis in the city in addition
to that of the Bigby boy. and that the
disease has already caused six or eight
deaths this spring, none of the medical
men thought that an epidemic was
threatened like that of about seven
years ago, when nearly 200 persons sue
cumbed.
Wants Cases Isolated.
The city should provide a place
where cases of cerebro-spinal meningi-
tbs can be isolated and receive proper
care" declared DR.. J. E. Paullin, pres
ident of the Fulton County Medical So
ciety. Il believe the disease is highly
contagious. A hospital or building
should be set apart for this purpose,
as all the cases are hospital cases and
should receive treatment under hygienic
and precautionary conditions.
Il would not say that the city has
been derelict for no part Of the medical
profession has acknowledged the dan
gerously contagious nature Of menin-
gifts until within the last few years. On
this account the epidemic which At
lanta experienced several years ago
could not serve as the warning which
is before US now
Il do not think that people should be
alarmed, however The cases in All
lanta now ] regard as sporadic and not
as indicating the outbreak Of an cpl
demic Should one come. it would be
difficult to provide a place for the vic
TINS. If il We're necessary. probably
within As hours the two abandoned
wards in the old Grady hospital. which
formerly were used for coIored patients
and which ! think. are unoccupied.
could be prepared for use"
Scouts Epidemic Fear.
DR. ]. P Kennedy. city health Of
fcer. was anxious that the danger of
an epidemic should not be overesti
mated. He said that the presence Of
twelve cases in the city at one time
was very unusual. but that he did not
in the least apprehend that an cpl
demic would develop.
Twelve cases is a large number
he admitted but that does not an
proach the proportions of an epidemic.
During the last epidemic there were $50
or 100 deaths and the year before that
there were 200. There have been only
six or eight deaths from the disease
this spring
DR.. Kennedy does not believe the
disease is contagious nor that there is
imminent danger of the infection
spreading through the failure to Isolate
the cases which have sprung up dur
ing the last few weeks in the city. but
he agrees with the adNisabiiity of pro
viding a special hospital or ward where
| the cases may be treated
That the hospitals of the city are
most reluctant to have cases Of
: cerebro- spinal meningitis within their