Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-21
BOY,DY|NG Of
MENINGITIS,
BARRED BY
HOSPITALS
Clarence Bigby, Rigid in the
ThroeS of Dread MaIady, at
Rescue Mission.
ClTYS NEGLECT BIDS
WELCOME TO EPIDEMIC

Rigid i'm the delirum of Cerebro- spi-
nal meningitis, fourteen year-old Clar-
ence Bigby lies to-day in a bare and
cherries room in the Union Rescue
mission. 2S4 Marietta street, denied adj
mission to any of the city's 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 a hard mission bed
without the care of a nurse and without
hospital treatment?
Why is the city 50 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 q 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 so to 60 per
cent, enormously in excess of smallpox
and other contagious diseases against
which we guard so carefully" inquired
DR. c. +. 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 most serious menace to the
health Of the city. Ignoring the hu-
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
81 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. Bisby is a 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 10 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 that
would receive the stricken lad Mean
while Clarence steadily grew worse and
to-day the physicians were able to pick
| him from the bed as though he were
/ W OONGll std Lut, ~ intense DIS TIE IlB
! dity of the muscles which drew mis-
head back in the grewsome position
! characteristic of meningitis victims
The boys days and nights are filled
with pain and delirium. When his
muscles are not tortured with the
cramps that the disease inficts he is
! ceaseIessly tossing about and thrashing
| his arms. How long before the deli
rum will give way to the stupor aud
then the complete coma that ordinarily
! follows is Conjectural.
Serum Aids Little.
Antitoxin furnished by the state 1e-
partmcnt Of health was administered
but the disease had taken such firm
hold that the effect Of the serum can
be hardly more than to mitigate is
rayages.
Why couldn't they have taken him
in someu here" cried Mrs Bigby. Tho
deep lines of worry in her haggard face
and the eyes red with weeping told Of
the strain ana the grief which have
burdened her in the week Of sorrow.