Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1866-07-07
Fearful Wholesale POISONING.

dreadful disease in portion of Orsnos
county, New York, especially at Middetown and
Goshen, has been traced to the effects of lead
used in repairing the stones of a custom mill at
Phillipsburg, at which most of the fopr nsed
bv the communities in question was made. The
disease had all tie symptoms of lead POISONING
and an analysis of the -four led to discovery of
the cause, but not until hundreds and perhaps
thousands of people had been poisoned, some
of them fatally, and many hopeessly ruined in
health for life From the Middletown cores
pondence of the New York Tribune we quote the
following particulars of the sad affair:
1t appears that Marsh, the miller, had gained
an enviable notoriety for the superior quality of
lis -four and that the farmers for many miles
around were in the habit of bringing their wheat
and corn to his mill to be made into flour and
meal. Aside from this he exported largely, so
that his mill, which had four run of stone was
kept constantly going-by night well as by
day. One set of these stones was set apart for
his custom work. This was an old set, con-
stantly needing repairs, and large cavities fire.
quently manifested themselves, which, instead of
being filled with the cement generally used for
that purpose, were filled with common lead
Some of these holes were as large as hens
egg, one we are informed being as large as the
palm of a mans hand. IF when filled the lead
projected above the surface of the stone, it was
hammered down level They were then adjusted
the grain was run in and the motion began and
gradually increased until very high rate of
speed was attained Of course the attriton
caused by the velocity detached particles of lead
from the stone and mingled almost impercepti-
bly, with the -four. Each moment increased the
amount, so that to every pound of ionr there
was enough lead impaired to make small buck
shot. With the enormous business of Marsh,
the reader can lima CINE how much lead was dis
tributed throughout the surrounding country to
be absorbed into the systems of those who par
took of the flour
The lead in this form was comparatively
harmless, but when fermented and subjected to
the baking process it was Immediately trans
formed 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 substitute for butter Were it not for the
fact that the lead was taken in such large guam
titles as to produce counter state of action,
hundreds would have died before the cause could
have been discovered
As soon as it became apparent that the disease
sprang from the bread of which the sufferers
had partaken, DR.. Do-rance and King, very
kkllful chemist of Middleton, at once determined
t6analyze the -four. Samples were procured,
and to their establishment they found that the
lead could be discerned with the naked eye
Next a microscope revealed it beyond doubt,
and as a still further proof it subjected to
some six standard tests, each one showing the
presence of lead in large quantities. After these
tests, all the -four which had come from Marsh 5
mill was Immediately returned to him and the
mill ceased running; but the MISCHIEF was al
ready done, the seed had been sown and the
fruit was coming forth at an alarming rate the
young and old were stricken down, those who
were afflicted with any chronic disease being the
greatest sufferers. OF course a panic was the
result, and the doctors were kept busy day and
night. do not wish to pain your readers with
recital of the terrible agonies endured by these
unfortunate people, but the scenes throughout
radius of twenty or thirty miles Of the country
were truly heartrending. Only those who have
suffered can form any idea of the horrors, the
inward fires which were consuming the patients,
or the agonizing cramps that contracted every
muscle of their weakened frames.
Fortunately the bakers of the place had pur-
chased their -four from the Western States or
the disease would have spread to-a much greater
extent. Many of the grocers, we'll as private
families were in the habit of receiving their sup
plies regularly, from the mill, and, of course all
who used them were afflicted.
To-day ! have visited most of the leading
physicians here, and append tabular statement
of the number of cases treated by each from the
middle of March to the present time: DR.. Dor
rance, 40 Dr. Everett, 81 DR.. Johnson, SO:
DR.. Bradner (severe) 9; DR.. Smiley, about 80 /;
DR.. Wright, about 45. Total, 2l3.
A letter from a sister of the proprietor of this
paper, dated at Middletown, a month since, fully
corroberates the above statements. On middle
and old-aged people the effects Of partaking of
the poisoned -four was terrible, the bodies of the
victims being subjected to the most agonzing
cramps and contortions. With young children
the effects were in no instance so severe
Among the greatest sufferers were Col. Israel II.
Wickham, wife and daughter, people most high
ly esteemed by all, and although none of the
family had died at last accounts, there was little
hope that they would ever fully recover.
THE New YORK HERAID AND THE R.DIcNS-