Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-20
CITY FACES NEW
ME- NINGITIS
EPIDEMIC
Closing of Wards at Grady Hos
pitaI, Through Lack Of Funds,
Brings Crisis.

With the closing of the two men
nights wards at Grady Hospital We'd
nesday, because the appropriation for
their maintenance had been exhaust
ed and overdrawn, Atlanta once more
faces the serious situation it con-
fronted when widespread demand by
physicians of Fulton County led to
action April rs last. The death of a
boy in peculiarly pathetic circum-
stances in Marietta Street brought
city-wide protest against existing
conditions.
To close the wards the hospital sent
eight patients home. Three still are
receiving treatment and other atten-
ton from the City Physician. DR..
James G. Hall, and from Drs. Kenne-
dy and Dorsey. They would have re-
mained at Grady Hospital several
days and perhaps weeks longer had
the meningitis wards been kept open.
One 9-year-old patient, Hanson
Maddox, son of Virgil Maddox, of
118 West Alexander Street, dismissed
from the meningitis ward Tuesday,
already has suffered a relapse Dr.
L. d. Summerall, superintendent of
the Grady Hospital, said the boy had
closing of the wards and that had
the wards been continued he would
have been kept at the hospital sew
eral days longer.
City Physician Investigates.
City Physician James G. Hall in
vestigated the case of the Maddox
boy Wednesday and reported his re-
lapse due to an indiscretion in feed
ing. The family, he said, had not
given the boy proper attention.
Superintendent Summerall Thurs
day afternoon said he was sending
DR.. L. L. Blair, resident meningitis
physician, to the Maddox home Ia tn-
vestigate.
Il am not going to allow that boy
to suffer because the meningitis wards
closed, if / can help it," DR.. Summer
all declared. He said in his opinion
the boy could be received back into
the hospital without endangering
other patients, since he had passed
the stage when he could give infection
to others.
Since the meningitis wards were
established 6S patients have been
treated, of whom 40 were white peO-
pie and 19 negroes. Forty seven were
discharged cured and 81 died. Ten
deaths were in chronic cases, of which
IL were treated, the death rate being
more than 80 per cent OF the. acute
cases, of which there were Sc, only
II died, the death rate being less
than 20 per cent, which is considered
very low.
Excellent Results Obtained.
Summarizing the results of the
work, DR.. Summerall said: These
excellent results were due to early
and efficient treatment and constant
and unceasing nursing. They are the
highest commentator to DR.. r. T.
Dorsey, DR.. ]. Edgar Paulin and DR..
]. r. Hines, who volunteered to treat
the meningitis cases, and to DR.. L. L.
Blair, the resident physician, who re-
manned on duty with the patients day
and night, and to the nurses, both
white and colored, who were faithful
in the discharge of their duties.
The opening of the wards and the
gathering in of all the meningitis
cases in the city at that time proba-
bly, forestalled an epidemic of the dis
ease. The cost to the city was the
whole of the $4,000 appropriated by
the General Council plus S22.S2 which
we spent from other hospital funds
and which must be made up in some
way"
These results are directly due &c
the agitation in The Georgian, which
led to action by the physicians.
Both DR., Summerall and the city
physician, DR. James G. Hall, said
emphatically there was not a single
case of contagious meningitis in At
lanta, in so far as they knew.