Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-21
GIRL I, NEAR
DEATHFROM
POISONING
BY CHALK
Little Mary TribbIe Dying After
Two Weeks Paralysis From
Eating Crayon,

Seven year-old Mary Tribble,
daughter Of Policeman w C. Tribble.
lies partially paralyzed and speech
less at her home, Porter Street,
East Atlanta, where her strange case
has baffled physicians for the last
two weeks
Two doctors have worked over her
almost constantly since she came
from school two weeks ago Friday
and told Of eating some pieces Of
brightly colored erayon. A few min
utes after she complained Of being
i'll her little body was rigid in the
mysterious paralysis and she has been
able to utter but a few words since.
The physicians say that the color
ing matter In the crayons IS one Of
the deadly poisons when taken into
the human system.
Physicians Are Powerless.
The case is so unusual they are
powerless to combat it. Only a flick
er Of life apparently remains in the
tense body Of the stricken child.
The doctors fear this bit Of life
will go out at any moment
Mary TribbIe's uncle. Policeman
Charles H. Brannon. still has in his
possession the remnants OF the chalk
which the girl ate The imprints OF
her little teeth plainly are discern.
ible upon It.
The girl was a pupil In the first
grade at the Faith schoo! in East At
lanta Several days before the close
Of school her parents bought her some
Of the attractively colored crayona
She had pleaded for them for weeks,
saying that she wanted to draw pref
ty pictures on the blackboard like the
other children.
On the last day OF school she went
home sick. She was questioned BY
her mother, but was only able to tell
that her head hurt.
little later she was unconscious
Several of her little schoolmateE.
among them Ada Parker, who occu-
pied the seat Just behind Mary, told
Mrs. Tribble that they had seen the
child eating some of the colored
crayons that are used in the draw
ing classes of the school.
In Rigor Of Death.
Drs. P. e. Pearce and r. E. Stone
were called. They were told Of the
circumstances and came to the con-
clusion that aniline coloring. a deadly
poison, had been used in the crayons.
They used every method known to
the medical profession to bring the
girl out of her strange state, but were
unsuccessful.
From that time she has remained
as in the rigor OF death. The
physicians can not hold out much
hope. They say that If the condition
lasts much longer the girl must surely
die Her quick release from the para
lytic state they believe to be the only
thing that will save the young life
The parents are heartbroken. Mary
was a bright, happy little child and
was one Of the bright spots of sun
shine in the little home. She was
popular with her playmates, and they
cali every day at the Tribble house to
see If there is any sign Of improve
ment.
Case Puzzles Doctors.
DR.. r. E. Stone the physician who
has been in almost constant attend
ance upon the little girl, told a Geor-
gian reporter Saturday morning that
the case is one of the most remark
able in his experience.
Il have never seen anything like
it," DR.. Stone said The symptoms
are unlike those of any disease In
my knowledge. Some appear to be
those of administration, combined
with a pressure on the brain that
produces a paralytic condition. We
have not yet been able to determine
whether her condition is the result
! of eating the chalk, or from some
| other cause AS a matter Of fact, I'll
be frank enough to say that we do
not know what is the matter with
| her, though it is evident that she has
been poisoned by something"
The little girl rallied for few
moment Saturday morning. and
when DR.. Stone called her pulse was
stronger than 1t has been for sew
eral days. The physician declared
that it is impossible to tell whether