Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-07
ROMAN upAs OF TIE WEST


Tar NIlK SICKNESS The my serious disease which
brats this name. peculiar {" the region West &" the
mountains aud prevails only IL certain districts oil tha
regina. May parts 0i ketuck ludaua Limos aho
Missouri have been greatly afflicted by IL, HUNDREDS
have died its victims and districts of country are
almost uninhabiabe on its account. The KENTUCKY
Legislature has long since offered reward 10 any one
VIII could ascertain the of this terrible disease ou
all inquiries upon the subject have been hilher" unsuc
CT ssfu The ST Louis Bulletin howe con,a ms letter
The subject, sad be from The pen OF an in'egen
gentleman in which the "f the disease is eieffeu
tree the properties Of which are dcscroed I" De very
similar those attributed the bsan pas OF Tie East
Indies The letter. which will be found interesting, is
subjoned -
FgxrE OsacE TOWNSHIP. !
ST. Charles Co, Mo-, Nov. ., le3S.
Mr. Koch Dear Sir-i herewith transmit ~ you one
of the genuine apples of Sudom 1t grew Oh a large
Sodome tree in Femme Osnge bottom, IN ST Charles
county The tree is nine feet thick, one hundred and
forty feet high and straight in The body, there being no
limbs for forty six feet above The ground In fruitful
year estimated that beais "ne thousand bushels of
fruit The leaves resemble those of pear tree, but
mach larger aud evergreen; the blossoms are similar TO
The tulip and vines in full bloom, it is considered the
mos, grand. beautiful and imposing "hj"c, in the vege
table kingdom But it OF The most poisonous nature;
lis rCnts bark sap leaves and fruit are ali destructive
poisons It's wigs and branches operate slow, ma.
gnant and iucurable poison of peculiar quality de-
slructive of animals and IL has been recently dis
covered and satisfactorily tested that the browsing upon
dseasc called the nilk sickness.
The fruit whea full ripe, has an inviting appearance,
but il soon takes dry rot and the inside becomes poi
sonous and dsarreeabie dust in appearance resembling
Scotch Snuff Notwithstanding its noHiuus qualities,
cattle and various other animals fond Of requentng
i, and feeding it's leaves aud they frequently DIE in
its vicinity Numerous skeletons Of animals may be
found in the bottom, within mile round, but when Ia
ken IN small quantities, II terminates in lingering and
uncomfortable milk sickness Since the tree has been
fenced in no milk sickness has existed The wood Of
the tree solid end heavy as lignumvn or ebony,
and fiom its similarity, some intelligent persons have
conecured that il is the celebrated tree called the Buhan
Upas in the East Indies When any part OF the green
is lacealed, peculiar gum exudes from the wound
like unto white native turpentIne which Is esteemed one
Of the strongest posons and will blister and seriously
nnre and u!ce,a,e the human body if applied exler
nally
is thought by persons that this tree might be
advantageousy used in the practice Of medicine if its
powerful medical qualities were properly understood
but its poison destructive that person here is
afraid 10 make any experiments with 1t. ii The citizens
of those paris of Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky, that
afflicted with the milk sickness, will make proper eXa
mIunon have doubt that they will find somewhere
in the sick district solitary tree similar 10 the one
have described above and they will destroy encluse
the tree they will ercualty prevent the disease. Many
marvellous stories told III the nehborhood, but re-
spec,ng many Of them am very increduous; bat the
foregoing statement have prepared from personal Oh.
servaton, and from infornatiea IN which could place
implicit confidence II you should desne further ntor
swering any Inquiries directed 10 me by mail, 10 Nilsson
ri town, my nearest post Office
With great esteem,
NpiIro hp IIpu,S GO