Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-11
Lire on n Plantations.

tOT j EStuJt-- 4 ne ITeItWSHt ~ tHe LctCh
The following letter was addressed T. Il.
F. w. Allston, esq Governor of South Car
nlina, by DR.. Il W Gtbes, a medical gen
tleman woo attended the slaves upon several
Of tae principal plantations Of the Safe fer
many years, aud who has here given the re-
suits of his observation 50 far a. the Ihian-
thropy and I'll 1ughtfuucss 0! the proprietor,
wa- involved 10 their trea;uent Ot the sllves.
The whole correspondence was elected ~
certain queries propoIndcd b7 Gov. Cob. Vi
A.ahama: COLUMBIA, March &, lsjS
"My DER GovERNJR: You ask my expo,
Renee III relation 20 the ecIuUmy aud med
cal management of the plantations il tho
neighborho1d Of Columbia. commenced
Col. Wade Hampton, and, soon af;er those
of Col. Richard Singleton, Major Thomas
Taylor, Il T. Taylor, esq, ard others, and
l0r m4Dy years had several th0usaLd aegcoc.
under my care. caG, therefore, speak with
fair kuowcdg &c OF their treatment BY our
prominent planters.
"On every plautltiOn the sick nurse, OF
doctor woman. is usually the most iote.htc"t
iema c OF the place; and She has GIi authot-
i,y, under the physician, over the sick. The
0verseer sends her 10 al! case-, and she re-
ports q hun: il the cases are slight, he or
sac (Jftencr she) pgeScr!b5s for them--If
they are at all serious the physician Is sent
for, and at any hour of the night. Often
have | ridden twelve or fifteen miles on a
cold and rainy isht 10 an infant, or even u
MI old and useless negro, when they have
been considered in danger. Wneu there are
many sick, the physician seat for 20 any Sc
rIous case is usually asked u see Il! that are
mliGiriu:; aud who're there arc several
nurses nceIcL, uGIlt.DDa! provision Is always
made.
IF q husband is seriously sick, or q child,
the vile or mother remains in the house 10
attend to their wants; Or It the wit8 Is i'll, IL"
husband is allowed 70 TO with Ter. Vice.
ever the hy,isian finds that the nurse Is IL
attentiye or iueii ;lent, he selects the most it,
teiligeht young woman u supply her place,
ana trains her for the succ s,lDG. Often
have done this, which every pian,er knows
il i his interest 10 approve, and found the
confidence well repaid. The necessity Ot
having an Intelligent nurse, and Uue ia whom
reliance can lie placed, is very important: -
on her iruDess Ia discharge vi her duty de
ponds mach OF the success 1t medical treat
ment. Negroes are generally tata!!stS, a2I
believe that every one has bis time appointed
to die, and il il be come they expee: u de;
ard, if not, they viii ct well without med
cine. Often have found them under con-
viction that they were to die aud resisting
medicine as useless, or taDcylns under PFC
siag symptoms that they would recover witt
out taking any-aod imperative treatment,
depending % the talthiuiness If the nurse,
absolutely required u be rlsldly enforced
Frequently have t0und tue patients bed
turued from Its position Of the day before.
In order that be might die with hls face It.
ward, the rising sun,' and often have | had
i. restored and ia'Drmed them tua. theit
tine mad not come b 20 home, a. the caiI
it. This is essential to relieve the mind from
The depressing Influence Of the expectation
OF death, and ~ procure the inspiring adyau-
tage of nope which cheers the heart aud ca
erts important curative effects. An lntel!I-
gent nurse soon learns to appreciate the ne
ces,ity OF Der authority, a0d TO exercIze Il.
"On all the plantatiyns that have attend
ed have always directed any diet that
might be needed which, if hot Immediately
prccurable, Is sent for to Columbia. Brandy
or wine is constantly demanded, and II not
on the place Is procured ty NY order wAei-
ever please and charged 10 tue Onncr. u
ten have | known Col. Hampton send to q
sick negro Sherry or MADEIRA of a Il Iahiy
seldom und on sal, lie Dispensed II libC-
rally when required. Ia relation 10 my
Iamcnted friend may be allowed TO say
that be once received letter from Il young
physician Offering to reside on bis plantation,
FIR a moderate salary, to attend to his pee
plI-his reply to bin was, that his own ia m
lily physician must be the physician to them.
Thi- is gcueral.
''In the hygiene Of the plantation there Is
much cleanliness required, ard the houses
are whitcwashed AID abundantly supplied
with wood in cold weather. Several teams
are c0n-t4utiy employed on the large planta-
tons to supply fu'i, ns negroes bear cold
badly. TIE ri-k Of fire cspcc.il, with chi.
dren. induces rho u,e Z neraIiy Q! woolten
cIothing; but IN sHmmer cotton nsn burg /
the material mostly sIrPhci. here Pgeu-
D.oHiI, the most iuial Ut all diseases anon.
negroes, Is apt to prevail, tlanne! shirts are
frequently distributed and wOolIGn stockings
10 the irma les. Experience shows that her
use, with good blankets and auun liant fuel,
are the best mcans OF diminishing the prera-
leuce of this disease on the river swami
plantations, where it i, usually seen 10 it,
worst form.
There is 20 class Of working rcoPlc in
the world better cared for Than the Southern
elavc-and IN childhood or old age there l.
10 d ference .hown. | nave often received
a large fee for surgical operation on ~
rerauuatcG or nscie-s negro, when hnmaE'ty
dictated it 10 relieve suffering, or for the re.
nova! Of cataract to allow oil age the prec'-
Gus privilege of restoration 10 sight. |
have seen the mistress give the same auCI-
ton habituaIly to the sick negro child rs u
her own and cit up all night to see that II
was not neglected. This, however, is rot
cJuhUe1 to the plantations, but may be seen
at any time in orr villages and towns.
within the past fifteen years, religious
services have been introduced generally Oh
the plantations III this district, and IN many
instances the Ogrers Of plantations have ct
gag i he stated services Of ministers Of the
GJsie to preacA aud give instruction t.
their people. 1t Is very Common tor the
Young lnli"- Of tue household to have elias
SCI on Sunday Of The children as wei! ~
crown negroes, to whom they give oral IL
struc;iOn, texts Of 3; iptIre, aud hymns.
The kipdncss III sickness 10 seeing after
the comforts OF these dependant being,
cau."5 a strong attachment from early cnIil-
hopi fbuari. their masters and