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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 21:50:05 GMT -5
I've heard from several sources that Jettie Lawson, Marion Lawson's first wife, died shortly after the birth of her daughter Hallie Marie, due to a massive infection she obtained because Dr. Helsabeck did not wash his hands after butchering some hogs right before delivering her baby. I've had no reason to doubt this story as being true but it really helps to have tangible proof. I just located the death certificate on Jettie today and it states that she died shortly after child birth due to a sudden, massive, and quick spreading infection. She died at 5 o'lock in the morning on May 1st, 1928, nine days after giving birth. According to her death certificate the infection occurred two days after she gave birth. It shows that Dr. Chester Helsabeck delivered her baby. This is proof enough for me that Jettie (Ashby) Lawson died from an infection caused by Dr. Helsabeck. Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 21:52:06 GMT -5
Always nice to find evidence like that, isn't it? My question is: HOW did this man keep his license with such shoddy work? Michael818
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 21:57:27 GMT -5
Yes Michael, it is nice to get evidence!!! Dr. Helsabeck was the only doctor around for miles and the people liked him and trusted him for the most part I've been told. That's probably one of the reasons they didn't report him to the medical board. They probaly didn't even know what a medical board was and what the procedure was for reporting a doctor to one. I've heard that Dr. Helsabeck was a real likeable person though he stayed drunk most of the time. Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:00:07 GMT -5
I know it's hard to go after a likeable person, but dang...he killed someone. If it had been my mom I'd have wanted a come-uppance. Michael818
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:03:04 GMT -5
I feel sorry for Jettie Lawson. She was married twice, had 9 children (whew) lost 2 of them...Hallie and Chester, and when she died she was only 34. Her death from the contaminated hands of Dr. Helsabeck should never have happened. Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:08:05 GMT -5
I understand Maria... I feel sorry for Jettie too. I'm sure that happened a lot in that day and time, because too many women died during or shortly after child birth and it makes you wonder why. Steralization wasn't a big issue then as it should have been. Therefore many women lost their babies and their own lives due to negligence. LuvMyDog
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:13:48 GMT -5
As if causing this infection with his contaminated hands wasn't bad enough, the treatment he used to reduce her fever was the wrong kind of treatment. It caused her fever to spike even higher, causing her to go blind. The poor lady suffered horribly. Dr. Helsabeck didn't do what he did on purpose or to intentionally harm her. He just didn't have the proper knowledge or training perhaps. Or maybe he had but being drunk made him careless and negligent that day, Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:18:57 GMT -5
I bet her family didn't even have a clue as to what hygiene was back then. I'm sure they didn't blame Dr. Helsabeck, they just didn't understand procedures back then and how the simplest action could save a person's life. It's just so sad that so many babies, children, and women died because of lack of knowledge. LuvMyDog
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:34:38 GMT -5
Maybe they did know Dr. Helsabeck made a bad mistake because when Hallie, the baby Jettie died giving birth to, got sick with vomiting and diarrhea when she was just a few weeks old, instead of taking her to see Dr. Chester Helsabeck, Marion took her to see Chester's brother Dr. Rupert Helsabeck. But poor little Hallie didn't fare any better than her mother did. Dr. Rupert gave Hallie some medicine but she only got worse a died a few days later. Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:36:09 GMT -5
That's horrible. I'm just glad I wasn't living in that time. Sissy
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:39:25 GMT -5
I'm glad you weren't living back then either Sissy, otherwise you wouldn't be around today and I would have missed out on getting to know you. I don't think Dr. Rupert helsabeck was even the right kind of doctor to trat baby Hallie. If i'm not mistaken he was a dentist. Maria
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:41:03 GMT -5
Thank you Maria. I'm glad to be able to call you a friend. Sissy
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:47:04 GMT -5
Jettie's death is soooo sad, and then little Hallie dying too...makes me want to cry. Such a sad sad situation. I know Dr. Helsabeck didn't knowingly kill her, but surely he should have had enough sense not to drink alcohol while practicing medicine. Of course he didn't know she would give birth that day, but the treatment for her fever....good lord. It's all just so sad. Angel71242
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:49:29 GMT -5
Unfortunately sometimes doctors kill instead of heal. A whole lot of people back then probably died more often from a doctor's mistake than from the sickness they had. NascarLover
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Post by Angela on Apr 24, 2009 22:51:18 GMT -5
"Kill instead of heal". Now that's putting it in a way I've never heard before!! I like that. And I just bet you're right Tim. Maria
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