Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-02-09
R " 8 " s,
Ghills and Fever.

DEAR 'SPIRIT'-A stranger In passing
through the lower counties Of North Carolina
and Virginia, will be struck by the sickly. ca
daverous complexion ofmany of the inhabitants
thereof; this is occasioned by their proximity
to the swarnps and ~pacosins whose poisonous
exhalations they are constantly breathing, and
which forms a faithful source for that scourge
of the lowlands, chills and fever.
A few days ago whilst riding with n friend,
we halted for a few moments at the cabin Of a
shingle gctter, for the purpose Of obtaining
some water for ourselves and horse; whilst
there, we entered into conversation with the
proprietor of the premises. Our enquiry, as
10 the health Of himself and family, was an
swered, as his appearance indicated, the chills
and fever troubled them occasionally On
further conversation we advised him to pro-
cure a medicine we named, one that had been
patented by some physician; and was strongly
pulled by the papers as an intalllhle cure for
the ague, and q great renovator of the system.
The man shook his head incredulously.-
Stranger said he, doctors may invent and
pay editors to write and print about their med
icines to cure the aguc and other diseases-by
so doing they have taken a many hard earned
dollar from me in n hurry for sir, | have tri
cd them and .heir mcdicines-they won't dc
down here in the bottoms. Now, sir, you SEE
Ilnb OOY IleTG . pOliIAiuA I Il WIN lCdIlCh
punkin-colored lad, whose age aEged some
where between twelve and twenty ); well tina
boy a month ago was taken by the swami
shakes, and Je.hu they give him goss! Bles
your heart, you people who live in town dom
know what the real shakes are, but here's tn
place to see, as well as feel them. Why 81
the very first day, Bill shook himself right GU
of bed and into the ashes, and kept up such
racket. that the old woman hustled me off fo
Adoctor. | found one in town and he cam
out with me. Bill, however, was better whe
we came back, but the doctor stayed with u
for he wanted to have a fair chance, he said, t
keep off the next attack.-Well, he went t
work on the boy, he dosed and he drenche
him, as I would have done to a horse with Il
cholic, but it did no gOod-for the next de
the boy was down again this time he shoe
himself not only out of bed-but clean out
his breeehes, and came nigh burning his ski
for he cot into the fire. The doctor work,
away like blazcs, sometimes a-tussIing with t
boy, all over the room, knocking over the par
table, and benches, trying to keep him in b
but no sooner did he get him there, tn.
out he would come again, with his teeth CHI
tering and hair on an end. The doctor 70
the varmint his durndestall day but he couldr
face him-he was badly whipped certain
told him he might 60. Now thinks to myse
I'll try my hand tomorrow, and see how n
medicine will act, so rs soon as l got up
went TO that chinquepin bush over yonder a
cut me about the alliredest long switch Y
ever laid eyes on. When | got back ] pok
up Bill who was rolled up in bed, and, says
Sonny. Sonny, how do you feel yourself t
morning.
why, daddy says he, rubbing his eyes,
feel bad enough that blasted old shakes
coming on, and it's going to give me be;
agin.'
Get up. Sonny says I, come out here
the yard, I want you to help me drive out
old SOW, for she's making awful work in our
ter patch
Bill in afew moments came out, with no
ing on but his shirt. As soon as he got v
out of the house, l gave him such a WIPE
round hisnakcd legs, that he jumped about
feet, yelling like nm Injun-- Now my b,
says |, ran! = and away he went around
field like a steam ingine. Every time he
gan to slaekeR his pace | applied the chinqua
medicine 20 his hide.--f kept him travelli
you may be sure every time we came tows
the house | pushed him the harder to keep
from getting in. Bill would only have tim,
sing out. ooh! Nanny p when he would
by out of hearing, Now the old woman
getting breakfast at the time of the RUM
ana on looking out, got her nature considers
riIed at seeing Bill catching it so fast-,and
racket he was making, led her TO think he
nearly give out. On our approaching the he
for the fourth heat, she could stand it no 10
er--for grabbing up the long handled fry
pan that was on the fire. full of herrinps,
she came. Blast your pictur!' said she, #
me n while, and let the boy rest With
she brought dOwn the burned old pan, herr
and all on top of my cocoanut, so hard tn
capsized me alt into the hog trou oh. di
care so much for the lick, although it made
head ache for 4 week afterwards. but or
them hot herrings got inside of my shirt,
Je-ru sa-lum how it burnt. 1t actually
ded me before | got il out. Herrings is N
ty good generally-but they ainI comfort
rs = p~oultice, no how. When | got up
had gone into the house, sweating like a S
horse, in July. He amt been troubled
the shakes since. That'tthe way | cured
Stranger, give US q chew tobacco
EsPERaNc
MaJresboro, ~. c.. Dec. Is, 1852.
WI -. - III