The Cairo bulletin., 1913-01-17
AN HEROIC nurse
| SHAKES THE Dice
! WITH GRIN DEATH
Miss Higgjnbotham and Miss Conroy
Endure Privation in Work
Of Mercy.
STRUGGLE THROUGH THE MuD
Dr.. Crawford, Chief State Health In,
spector Pays the Two Strong
Compliment,
STRUGGLE THROUGH THE MUD

Miss Truda lliSsinhotham of
Cairo, an heroic nurse hourly shakes
the dice with grim death in minis
tering to the vans OF those aft let,
ed at Gale with meningitis--and
she does not falter
Assisting Miss Iiigginbotham in
this heroic labor is Miss Agnes Con-
roy, a voluntee. from St. Mary's In
firmary.
The pair of girls sleep in the
homes of the four patients. cat the
same food and endure untold priva-
| tiong
Thursday morning DR.. Duncan
unable to get over from Mcclure had
Misses Higginbotham and Conroy go
from house to house over rough.
muddy road for miles. leave medi-
cines and perform the duties of a
physician.
There Is not money enough la
Alexander county, sufficient to prop
erIy reward these girls for their
hcroism." /"
DR.. e. u. Crawford chief inspector
of the linois State Board of Health,
made this statement to a representa-
ltiYc ef The HMlletln last nlsllA !.
He had Tetufhatl early HI tk8 tiay
iron Gale and Mcclure, whore he
made a complete and rigid inyesti-
cation of the cases and the sur
lfoundings.
Since December 81, 1912, when
the disease first appeared there have
been all told fifteen cases. OF those
ten have died. one has recovered and
four are In very precarious condi-
tion with the chances decided,
against recovery.
The four cases referred to are as
follows:
Tom Jackson, aged 65.
Mrs. Cook, aged 20.
Young James, aged T.
Young Adams, aged 6.
The father of the boy James has
already died from the disease.
None of the families of the other
patients have been i'll with menin.
gifts.
In tracing the disease DR.. Craw-
ford found that it had its inception
in the Chism family numbering ten
peope. OF these, five have succumb-
ed to it, leaving tive that have not
yet been affected.
DR.. Crawford stated that the dis
ease was confined to a circ'e with
four mile diameter, with Gale di-
rectly In the center.
He established an absolute quar-
antine DER the entire territory now
guarded by deputy sheriffs, depu-
tized by the county commissioners.
with instructions TO permit no one
to enter or depart from the infected
district
He further stated that instruc-
tons had heen given TO destroy by
fire all bed clothing and other ar
ticles capable of conveying infection
and to thoroughly fumigate the
premises of those where deaths oc-
Cured and cases appeared
He sent rubber blankets up to the
nurses in order that they would not
be compelled to sleep on the bed
ding in the homes of the aft icted
Dr. ]. II. Hibbits left yesterday
morning for Gaze where he will in
| iect the requisite amount of the
Flexner Reningo coccus to the four
'patients. He win return this morn.
ing.
| Dr. Crawford stated that he would
stay in Cairo for an indefinite
period. observing results at Gale and
, compelling the Taylor family to re
main at the pest house as a precau.
tionary measure until such time a.
he saw fit for them to leave.
In concluding the interview Or
Crawford paid DR.. Duncan higl
compliment for the hard work aud
the exhibition of sef denial ON HIS
part