The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-16
MENINGITIS IS NOT ASSUMING EPIDEMIC FORM IN BESSEMER
 -Dr. George D. Waller Health Officer Says Need less Alarm Has Been
 Shown in City SEES NO NEED FOR
 CLOSING SCHOOLS Examples Given of How Exciting Re- ports Arise-Jonesboro Especi-
 ally Subject to Disquiet-
 ing Rumors
By JACK BETHEa

Bessemer, April 15.-(Special )-For over week the citizens of Bessemer have been frightened by rumors that there was an epidemic of spinal meningitis rag ing within the city.
 If 27 cases out of a population of T, ,0.O people constitutes an epidemic, then there is one, but thinking people here laugh at the idea of becoming frightened.
 The physicians of the city with two ex- captions, scout the idea that the situation is at all dangerous To those exceptions, in large measure, is attributed the present agitation. Doctors here are indignant that the people should have been need- lessly frightened, especially so as such reports when once started are extremely hard to scotch.
 The policy of pr George D. Waller in dealing with the situation has been to make public the entire facts in regard to cases and withhold nothing. In the past 30 days there have been reported to him T cases of spinal meningitis in the city of Bessenfer. Of that number p were ne- groes and but five WhIte people. There have been eight deaths, two white.
 Dr. Waller believes that the figures themselves are the best answer to the re- ports of an epidemic. His views are in dorsed by practically every physician in Bessemer.
 Dr. Walters Views
 So widespread has been the agitation that the closing of the public schools was urged by a few panic-stricken people. Against this Dr. Waller has stood stead fast. He states his reasons thus:
 I hot ho pIn ncin TO of the public schools would prevent one case of meningitis I would close them in- stantly it will not do this. The school is the best place for the child; l have two and both are in school
 When my boy comes home at night from school I know that he has not been associating with sick. children that day. In the schoolroom the teacher is con stantly on the lookout for illness, and when child manifests sickness, he is sent home.
 If the schools were closed and the child kept at home he would not be nearly so safe as at school. If he were kept in the house for a week, two weeks, or more he would be in a worse condition from want of exercise than if he had gone to school On the streets the danger of contagion is much greater than at school. To close the public schools would be folly
 pr. Walters views are strongly in dorsed by practically every doctor in the city.
 The reports of an epidemic originated some time ago. It was from d double cause. A man living in the rear of the home of a Jonesboro resident was seized with meningitis about 3 o'clock in the morning Doctors were called and treated him. As they were leaving, the resident asked a physician to come to the house and examine his little girl, who appeared i'll. The doctor found the child with d temperature of 104 and totally unconscious from meningitis. That night she died.
 The rumors and fright date from that night The sudden death of the child gave rise to aif kinds of exaggerated re- ports, to which fuel was added by :he fact that two physicians of the score CT more in Bessemer became frightened and gave countenance to the rumors.
 Doctors Kept Busy
 The life of pr, Waller and every ether doctor in town has been more or less oi