Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-08-25
THE .M.a.NMOTH CAVE OF. KEN:
IUCKY

III .'4.I.th ii " II CUFF Z w -I4A~f
I'UCKY.
The New York Journal of Commerce
contains the following interesting coei-
munication from a cores pondent. in re-
lation to the extraordinary salubrity Of
the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky:
I received from a correspondent in
Kentucky, on whose information the
most Implicit reliance may be placed, a
letter, containing the following highly in
teresting statement. give his own
words:
Since the experiment Of Dr.. Mitchell,
the cave, I think, will be very much Vi
sited by persons inclined to restore their
health. DR.. Mitchell is of family the
most ofwhom have died OF consumption.
lie was conscious Of his own hopeless
condition, and in order to avert the con-
sequence OF the disease, determined on
a residence in the cave. In this he was
opposed by his friends, believing as they
did mat he could survive but a week or
TIVE, and that going into the cave in that
state would but hasten his death. He
went 10, however. notwithstanding their
objections, about the LIST of April, and
established his quarters near the Star
Chamber, only one mile from the outh.
lie came cut OF the cave for the first time
the last of June. and so astonishingly ,tn-
pr owed tkat he rode On horseback to
Glasgow, 4 distance Of eighteen miles,
and joined in the celebration of the 4th
of July at the Cave. lie told me that so
extraordinary was the influence of the
air on his lungs, that at the expiration OF
a week he had no cough, and his appetite,
health, and strength, seemed daily in
creasing: that he felt lonely for the first
week, but after that he preferred resi-
dence in the Cave to any above ground.
The popularity of the spot, he says, he
cannot account for, but is convinced it
will be experienced by every invalid who
resides in the Gave for three weeks. The
Doctor told me lie thought residence in
the Cave would relieve any form Uf pull
monary disease.
81 have frequently before given &C.
counts Of this cave in the Journal of Com
merce, with my opinion of the saIubrity
of its atmosphere, from desire to bene-
tit some one in feeble health 10 whom.
life is dear, and its prolongation anxious
ly sought for; aud such there are in
great numbers. MY opinion Of the eff
iects OF the atmosphere OF the cave is
made up from personal observation. [
have known the cave for twenty nine
years. | have been in it at all seasons
OF the year, during all kinds of weather,
both day and night. During the last
war, quantities OF saltpetre were made at
the cave, and for this prepared the car
donated aikalies, when are required in
large proportion to produce crystaliza-
ton, SC. At the time tro.n so to 70
hands were employed.:n the cave in Dig
ging up the earth. &c. which covered the
bottom of the cave, and conveying it by
oxen to hoppers in the cave. which are
about one nile from its mouth. During
the whole time these men were engaged.
which was for three or four years, there
was nota single case of Sickness Among
them. The atmosphere OF the cave is
dry,and the temperature even and equal.
[ have never known it to vary half a
degree, through the year, from GO de-
grees of Fahrenheit. Combustion goes
on we'll, lights burn cIear.-respiration is
easy, The earth which had been. Iixjyi-
ated and thrown out Of the hoppers, REIN
pregnates again in about three wears.
yielding fran S or lbs. of nitrate 70 the
hushel. Animal flesh will not putrefy
in this atmosphere, nor will vegetable
matter decompose. Meat hang up in
the cave few days becomes so strongly
impregnated with nitro as to become un-
pleasant to the taste. The corn left by
the oxen which were fed in tie cave
thirty years ago, is now in a perfect
state OF preservation; the logs used for
water pipes, are sound and good. Amin.
81 aesh dries in the cave, and becomes
hard. These facts | state, that men OF
science may compare my conclusions
ana my premises together.
''' HE location of the cave is in Iati.
tude about Sc deg. So min. in Edmond.
son county, Kentucky, on the edge of the
Great barfens, and 90 miles from Louis.
vile. The cave is immensely extensive.
My correspondent states to me. that
Messrs. Allen and Campbell, artists Of
of great merit, are at the cave, and lave
been some time engaged in taking views
OF it. The paintings of the Stalagmlte
Hall, the Great Dome, the Bandit Hall,