Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-01
Correspondence Of the Missouri Republican.
BLACK TONGUE. ~
New MApRrp, Mo-, March 18th, 1s43.

NEW MADRID, MO-, marcn lOtD, 1890
GENTLEMEN: In your paper Of February
4th, noticed communication from Mr..
Godfrey Lessieur, Of this county, in rela-
ton to a disease said to have prevailed in
this vicinity the past season, characterized
bv a "black tongue" and great fatality.
Erroneous as many of the statements in
that communication certainly were. | was
disposed to await the publication of an ar
tce now in preparation, giving full de-
scription of the disease and It's treatment,
when my attention was again called TO
second communication. dated February
18th. in which the statements of the former
note were reiterated. . -
. | do not for a moment entertain the
thought that the error Of Mr.. Lessieur was
INTENTIONAL: his known character for ver-
acity and genleminly department, is suffi-
Client guarantee to the contrary; but that
ne has been incorrectly informed, or thai
the affection caused hv the lpss of near
relatives, has added new terrors To the dis
ease, n one who has been conversant with
The diseases Of the past season can doubt
To correct The many reports that have
latei> appeared in the public prints. which
have tendency, To say The least, 10 inlnre
the future prosperity of this county. and
to give brief description of the disease
in question. is the object Of this communi-
cation. .......
II may be necessary to state that the
surface Of this country is generally level
the land of the richest qualiiy-iis eastern
portion, 10 some extent. inundated by the
spring foods f the Mississippi. Lakes
lagoons and haynus inIersect the country
in almost every direction. The settle.
menis, except il the immediate vicinity OF
New Madrid, are principally on ridges OF
land varying from fourth to mile in
width. II is needless 10 say that in suct
localities. n,ermttants of every variet!
are rife. and tina, strangers and others wh'
have labored under The prevailing summe,
diseases, are i'll prepared to resist the ten
dency to disease induced by the sudden
changes of temperature that characterize
the winters in this portion of the Missis
sippi valley. .....
The past winter has been remarkable
for frequent and sudden changes. and this
circumstance has undoubtedly modified the
prevailing diseases. The disease known in
this county under the name of winter
Fever" has prevailed the past winter with
more than its usual severity 1t generally
commences with a chill, followed in ro
bust patients by high excitement and con
iestion or inflammation of important organs
requiring decidedly anti-phlogisic treat
ment; in others reaction is imperfect, til,
fever assuming typhoid character. i
would be needless in the present commu
nicaiion to detail infinitely the symptom:
and treatment, as it is the intention to lay
the whole before the public in forthcom
ing number of one of the journals of med
cine in this valley. Suffice it 70 say tina
the disease of the past season, of which
such exaggerated accounts have beer
spread far and wide, is, the endemic "Win,
ter Fever" of this region, modified by sud
den atmospheric changes and characterized
in addition to its usual symptoms, by loca
pain of neuralgia character, and in some
cases sore throat, but in no case that
have seen-and it is the concurrent testi
mony of all the physicians with whom
have conversed--has the blackness of the
tongue formed symptom of the disease
nor was aware until the appearance Of
the article by Mr.. Lessieur that such 6
symptom was supposed to belong to The
disease. Malignant sore throat was il
some cases the most urgent symptom, the
tongue in some patients becoming enlarge'
or swollen; but in no instance within my
knowledge, even in fatal cases, did black
ness of the tongue supervene.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't.
JOHN HARDWOOD, M. d.