Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-21
Clarence Bigby, Rigid in the
ThroeS of Dread. MaIady, at
Rescue Mission.
CITYS NEGLECT BIDS
WELCOME TO EPIDEMIC
Parents, Too Poor to Pay Pri-
vate Sanitarium Fees, Fight
Death Against Odds.

Rigid in the delirium Of cerebro- spi-
nal meningitis, year-old Clar-
ence Bigby lies to-day in a bare and
cherries room in the Union Rescue
mission, 234 Marietta street. denied adj
mission to any Of the citys hospitals
and barred from the private institu-
tions by the poverty of his parents.
Why is this unfortunate lad, in the
clutch of one Of the most feared ana
fearsome diseases known to medicine,
forced to remain on hard mission bed
without the care of a nurse and without
hospital treatment?
Why is the city so incautious of its
own health that it permits, almost in its
very center, the nucleus for an epidemic
that is devastating in its nature once it
gets a start?
These are questions that were asked
to-day by physicians and others whose
attention was called to the. pitiable case.
Or, Benson Scores City.
"The city cares for its smallpox pa
TENTS and its diphtheria patients-why
not for those who are afflicted with this
disease. which is admittedly infectious
and whose mortality is 50 to 60 per
cent, enormously in excess of smallpox
and other contagious diseases against
which we guard so carefully" inquired
Dr. G. T. Benson. of the Fourth Ma
tional bank building. one OF the physi-
clans called to attend the case
1T is most evident that some place
should be provided by the city for cases
of this sort" he continued. The boy,
lying where he can not be Isolated,
forms a most serious menace to the
health of the city Ignoring the HUI
manitarion aspect, It would seem that
the city for its own protection would
take steps to isolate the disease under
proper medical care.
1T is not unlikely that many persons
have been exposed to the disease al
ready. This form of meningitis is
notably epidemic. Cities and districts
over which the mysterious blight Of
this disease has spread have suffered
terribly.
Wants Hospitals Opened.
Il can not understand why the case
should not receive treatment at the
Hospital for Contagious Diseases or the
Grady hospital. One room or ward
might be set apart without rendering
liable to the contagion any Of the re-
mainder Of the institution"
The Bigby family consisting Of the
father and mother and four Of the five
children, came to Atlanta two weeks
ago from Macon. Bigby is mechanic
but he has been i'll and unable to find
steady employment in this city and the
meager family funds have dwindled al
most to nothing With their children
the parents were compelled to seek
cheap lodging at the mission.
Clarence was taken suddenly sick six
days ago. Two days later he lapsed into
delirium from which he has not
emerged since. Several physicians were
called, but as soon as they noted the
boys condition their advice was:
Take him to a hospital; We can do
nothing for him here
Lads Body Becomes Rigid.
No hospital could be found thot
would receive the stricken lad. Mean
while Clarence steadily grew worse aul
lG-tdA the pAiA fi''toli- N''l'" ''.''' 40 li.h
him from the bed as though he We're
wooden statue. so intense was the rig
idity OF the muscles which drew mis-
head back in the grewsomc position
characteristic Of meningitis victims
The boys days and nights are filieI
with pain and delirium When his
muscles are not tortured with the
cramps that the disease innicts he is
[ ceaseIessly tossing about and thrashing
his arms. How long before the deli
rum will give way to the stupor AMI
then the complete coma that ordinarily
follows is conjectural.
Serum Aids Little.
Antitoxin furnished by the state lie
partment Of health was administered.
but the disease had taken such a firm
hold that the effect of the serum can
be hardly more than to mitigate It's
ravages.
why couldn't they have taken him
/ in somewhery." cried Mrs Bigby. Tr.
deep ines of worry in her haggard ia g.
land me eyes Jed with weeping told ~
the strain and Tile grief which have
! Du.acned her in the week Of sorrow.