The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-23
Health Officer Says There Is
No Need for Alarm
NEW CASES ON HAND
Committee of Health Holds Confer
ence-Statement Says Public Will
Be Kept Fully Advised on
Developments

In an official statement issued late yes
terday afternoon. under the authority OF
both the health committee of the Jeffer-
son County Medical society and as health
officer Of the city OF Birmingham. Or.
Robert Nelson states that he "sees no oc-
casion for any great alarm at the present
situation as regards the cases of cere-
bIo-spinal meningitis In this city.
The grounds upon which DR.. Nelson
bases this assertion are That there have
been but six cases reported within the
lest 10 days as actually originating here;
that the disease is not a highly contagious
one, and that every possible step known
to medical science is being taken to pre-
vent any possibilities which might exist
for the spread of the disease.
Two more deaths and two more cases
Of the disease were reported to the city
health authorities yesterday. The deaths
were II. p. Whiteside, IS years old, 2SSl
Set ond avenue and Mrs. Elizabeth Haw-
lSins, 43 years of age, $40 Forty sixth
street.
Whenever case is reported, whether in
n hospital ward or at a private resi-
dence, the health authorities take inn
mediate action. isolate the patient and
start thorough process of fumigation at
cnce.
Dr. Nelson's Statement
The formal statement, written by Or.
Nelson himself. covers the situation up
until late last night, and is as follows:
within the past 10 days there have
been reported to the health department of
the city eight cases of epidemic cerebro-
spinal meningitis OF these, two were un-
Occasionally Imported; that is. contracted
the disease out of Birmingham. One, Il
woman, was taken to local infirfnary
from Kimberly, under another diagnosis.
where upon further investigation the spe-
oihc organism Of the disease was found.
She died II hours later. The other one,
negro, had been in the city only about
five days doing construction work for the
Louisville and Nashville, having come to
birmingham from Snow Hill. This man
Gied at the Hillman hospital last Sunday.
The other six cases contracted the
disease here OF these six cases, four
have died one apparently is improving
and the other Is practically well.
The following are the places that these
cases developed; Howard college, 11S
South Seventy street. No. 1881
Second avenue, No. 500 Fifth avenue. No.
$50 North Forty-sixth street. Railroad
avenue and Fourteenth street, Careful
ard thorough disnfection has been car
RED out in all these cases
II see no ocea sion for any very grave
alarm at the present situation; both be-
cause Of the fact that the disease is not
a highly contagious one, and also because
only six cases have developed In the city.
Isolation and disinfection are being rig
Idly enforced, and every possible step is
be ing taken to prevent the spread. The
public will be kept fully and accurately
Informed Of the situation should il as
sumo serious aspect.
ROBERT NELSON, M. d..
CITY Health Officer"
Lr. r. D. ParlSe, chairman of the health
committee of the Jefferson County Med
icsI society, stated yesterday that the
committee would cooperate in every way
possible with DR.. Nelson in handling the
meningitis cases. and that no phase
Of the situation would be kept from the
public He stated that in his belief there
was no cause for alarm. The committee
held meeting yesterday for the sole pur-
pose of looking into the situation as II
concerned meningitis and delegated DIR.
Nelson to make formal statement.