Americana: Protecting Miss Mary

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This year's winter struck hard at Mary Northern, 72, who lived alone in a rundown, unheated house in Nashville. Alerted by neighbors, police took her against her will to a hospital. Miss Mary, as she is known, was found to have gangrene in both her frostbitten feet. Surgeons recommended amputation. Miss Mary refused.

Tennessee welfare workers petitioned for the operation over her protest. Her court-appointed lawyer resisted. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Eventually, believing Miss Mary to be near death, the courts gave permission for the surgery. It was not needed. Miss Mary had developed pneumonia, and the antibiotics used to help her had also halted the gangrene.

Under Tennessee's well-meaning law, Miss Mary is now liable for the costs of the suit brought, against her wishes, to have her feet cut off. Her only asset, beyond meager Social Security benefits, is her house, appraised by tax collectors at only $16,000 but located in a Nashville commercial district. A court hearing is scheduled for this week on whether to force her to sell the house to pay for having been protected.