The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1866-06-12
Terrible Lead Poisoning Case


FLuuE.
About two months ago The people Of
Midl.etowu. ia that part Of Waikiki Valley
10 the eastern part 81 Orange County, n.
u, we're attacked with sirullut disease
which baiilel ihe skin d the physicians,
and appeared 70 exhibit the most positive
symptoms of lead poisoning. yet the sufer-
ers denied that they bad eaten anything
contaminated with lead. Ia many cases
the patients died, and a grea. number
have lheir constitutions rninel for lie, and
will waste away rs victims oi this malady.
The physicians were very much puszl i
10 determine the cause Of the disease, the
only symptom which VAS regarded as con-
elusive tbnt lead Was the primal cause,
was the blac line at the margin Of the
teeth, which was present in almost every
case. After patient study and investiga-
ton they became convinced that the niala.
dy was caused by lead in the system, and
they Immediately directed their Efforts 10
ascertain how il was conveyed there.
After considerable research il was found
that the lead was conveyld into the stom.
achs Of the sufferers by bread and meal,
and as a greater pau of those staples were
manufactured ~ The mill Of Mr.. Marsh,
at Philipaburg. an investigation was at
once made ia that direction, and tho fol-
lowing facts were elected, greatly 10 the
surprise of every one, the miller himself
includel:
II appears that Mr.. Marsh had gained
an enyiable uolot.iy for the superior quail
ity Of his -four, aud that the farmers for
many miles around were in the habit oi
bringing their wheat and corn to his mill
to be- made into -four and meal Aside
from this lie exported largely, so that his
mil, which was four run OF stone, was
kept constantly gong--by night as well
as by day. One ST Of these stones wa'
set apart for "custom" work. This was
an old set, constantly needing repairs, aud
large cavities frequently manifested them
selves which, instead of being filled NJ
with cement generally used for that pur-
pose, where filled with comou lead. Some
Of these holes were as large as hen,
err, one, we are informed, being rs large
as the palm Of mans hand. l., when
filed, the lead projected above the sur
/ face Of the stone, it was hammered dowr
level They were then adjusted, tie grair
WAS Iun III, and the motion began and wa.
1 gradually increased, until a very high rate
Of speed was attained. OF course the at
triton caused by this velocity detached
particles Of lead from the stone and ming
4 led them almost impcreeptbly with tn,
-four Every moment increased the
amount, SO that TO every pound Of ilonl
there was enough lead impaired TO make
4 q small buckshot. WITH the crUlmou
business Of Mr. Marsh, the reader can i'm
agine how much lead was being distribu
ted throughout the surrounding country
to be absorbed into the systems Of thos
who partook Of the -four.
The lead in this form was comparative
ly harmless, but when fermented and sub
jected to the baking process it was imme
dialcly transformed into carbonate Of leac
the deadliest OF all lead poisons. Brea,
Of this kind was but little better thai
bread spread with white lead rs a substi
tute for butter.
Were it not for the fact that the lea,
was taken in such large quantities as Il
produce a counter state Of action, hundred
would have died before the cause could be
4 discovered.
Samples Of the -four were then analyz
ed by skillful chemists, who found tha
lead could not only be discovered in larg,
quantities, but in many cases could be seel
by the naked eye. AS soon as these fact
became known, a general panic was tn
result, the mill ceased running, those VIII
had obtained hJur Of Mr. Marsh returnet
it to him, but the seeds Of poison had al
ready been sown at an alarming rat
through radius oil from twenty to thirt
miles.
In the toWn and immediate vicinity o
Middleton, 2l3 cases Of this malady ,hay
happened, besides 100 more at Goshen,
few miles off. The most heart-rendin
details are given of the suffering Of ih
people at these places. A great man
children have died. Scores of men, VIII
a few weeks ago were in the full enjoy
ment OF health aad strength, are ruined 70
life, and totter 10 and fro, their faces hay
ing the appearance Of dry parchment
their eyes sunken and encircled by dar
ring; their lips blue, their muscles con
tracted aud their limbs distorted for then
to move is intense pain; relapse follow
relapse, till in time they succumb TO th
effects Of this fearful maladay
I The following is the conclusion Of a
epi,aph on tombstone in East Tennes
see "She lived life Of virtue, and die
Of the cholera morbu., caused by eat in
green fruit, IN the full hope Of bless e
mortality, at the early age Of twenty -iou
years, seven months and sixteen days