The Price of a Tiny Needle Prick
A trivial accident at home turns into a harrowing medical ordeal for a Seattle woman.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Six months ago, Mrs. S. Roth, of this city, a woman about 40 years old, ran a needle into the index finger of her right hand. Trivial as the matter seemed, it resulted in the amputation of her arm last Friday at Providence hospital. Mrs. Roth cannot speak a word of English. It did not seem a thing of importance when she stuck the needle into her finger, but the conditions were just right for the precipitation of a disease that attacks the bones and causes the marrow to decay. After local remedies failed, the finger was amputated, but the infection traveled up the arm, necessitating two further operations. It is hoped these will stay the progress of the disease.
“Trivial as the matter seemed, it resulted in the amputation of her arm.”
This story highlights the fragility of life before the widespread use of antibiotics. A simple household mishap could escalate into a life-altering medical crisis, a stark contrast to modern standards of care at institutions like Providence (now Swedish Medical Center).
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