Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-07-06
ny LEAD.
Hundreds Of Persons Poisoned By
Lead Ground mp with Rlour-A
Rrlkhtful Tragedy In tho Waikiki


From Tho New York Tribune, June lst.l
LII now nearly two months since the
people residing along that portion of the
Waikiki Valley, which lies in the Western
part Of Orange county, were attacked by
q disease which for some time bafisd the
skill of the physicians, they being at q loss
to divine the cause. The malady. It is
true, exhibited the most positive symptoms
of lead poisoning. yet all the sufferers
strongly denied having used anything that
could In their estimation have been con.
taminated with lead. even in It's mineral
condition. In some cases whole families
were stricken down, while in others only
one OF two members Of family were at.
tackled. Sometimes the disease ssumed
q violent form, and caused death ; and
again IL was OF q milder type. and the
patients were relieved. To-day hundreds
are suffering from its effects, many Of
whom will never be able to do anything,
aud will In time waste away and die, the
| victims Of this terrible disease.
The symptoms most prominent in these
cases have been obstinate constipation.
severe pain in the abdomen. nausea, and
persistent vomiting, collie. difficulty in
voiding urine, and in many instances the
excavations being mingled with blood,
pain and heat in the region Of the kidneys.
cramps and partial paralysis Of the upper
extremities and an anxious. gloomy ex.
preston Of countenance. The above are
the symptoms which have been present in
a greater or less degree Of prominence and
severity in every case.
Professional men at once saw that these
symptoms pointed to aud were character
istic Of lead poison ; but il was also
observed that some or all Of them were
encountered in other and far different
forms of disease, as in coloa snteritis lin
famma,ion Of the intestines,) hematurid
(bloody urine.) dysuria difficulty In void
ing urine.) and other conditions of the
system in which spasm, nervous disorder
and paralysis manifest themselves. The
only disgonistic symptom which, regarded
BY itself, was conclusive as to the lead
poison, was the blue line at the margin Of
the teeth, which has been present in al
most every case. The doctors were sorely
perplexed, but in about two weeks after
the frat violent case came under their no.
tice, they had, by careful study, traced thu
lead in the system, so that there was no
longer any doubt on that point. II now
remained TO ascertain the source from
whence It came.
After considerable researchi it was found
that the lead was conveyed into the stom-
achs Of the sufferers by bread and meal.
and asa greater part Of those staples were
manufactured at the mill Of q Mr.. Marsh,
at Philipsburg. an investigation was at
once made in that direction, and the fol
lowing facts were elected. greatly to the
surprise Of every one, the miller himself
included:
It appears that Mr.. Marsh had gained
an enyiable notoriety for the superior quail
ity Of his -four, and that the farmers. fol-
many miles around, were in the habit oil
bringing their wheat and corn to his mill
to be made into -four and meal. Aside
from this he exported largely: so that his
mill, which has four run Of stone. was
kept constantly going-by night as well
as by day, One set Of these stones was
set apart for his "custom" work. This
was an old set, constantly needed repairs,
and large cavities frequently manifested
themselves, which, instead Of being filled
up with the cement generally used for
that purpose. were filled with common
lead. Some Of these holes were as large
as hens eggs. one. we are informed. being
as large as the palm Of q mans hand. II.
when filled, the led projected above the
surface Of the stone, it wal hammered
down level. They were then adjusted.
the grain was run in, and the motion be.
gan and was gradually increased until a
very high rate Of speed was attained. OF
course the attrition caused by this velocity
detached particles Of lead from the stone
and mingled them almost imperceptibly
with the -four. Each moment increased
the amount, so that to every pound oil
-four there was enough lead impaired to
make small buckshot. With the enormous
business Of Mr.. Marsh, the reader can
imagine how much lead was being dis,rib-
uted throughout the surrounding country,
to be absorbed into the systems of those
who partook Of the -four.
The lead in this form was comparatively
harmless, but when fermented and subject
ed to the baking process il was immedi-
ately transformed into carbonate Of lead
the deadliest Of all lead poisons. Bread
Of this kind was but little better than
bread spread with white lead as q sub,ti-
tute for butter.
Were il not for the fact that the lead
was taken in such large quantities as 10
produce q counter state Of action, hum