Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-01-14
Ncata Of Consumption.


From the Atlantic Monthlyfor Japyaryl
We know Of two families in Massachn-
aetts Of whom the following story may be
told. Two healthy brothers married two
healthy sisters. Both had large families
| oschildren. One lived on theold home
stead, Gu the aouthern slope Of one Of the
numerous beautiful aud well-drained hills
IN that vicinity. The whole house was
bathed all dny long in sunlight, and con-
sumption did not touch any Of the young
lives under It's roof The kother brother
placed his house at very short distance
ofI, but upon o grassy plain, covered all
summer with the rankest verdure. In its
front was large open common" In the
centre Of this, water oozed up from be-
tween the split hoofs of the cows, ns they
came lowing holnewevd at night and the
lbarefooted boy who was driving them used
10 shrink from the place, and preferred to
make the circuit Of its edge rather than TO
follow the lead Of hismore quiet comrades
Back of the house was large level mead
ow, reaching TO the very foundations OF
the building. Through this meadow slug
p;shly crept the Ihillstream Of the adjacent
Village Still futther, all three surround
linps we're enclosed by lofty hills. The
| lliie-piyinR sun rose later and set earlier
Spon this than upon the other fair home
stesd. Till latein the forenoon, and long
bofola sunset left the hillside home, damp
and chilling emhnations arose from the
meadow, and day after day enveloped the
tender forms of the children that were try-
ina IN uan 10 qroo up healthy within them.
But all effort was useless. Large families
were born under both roofs. Not one of
the children born in the latter homestead
escaped, whereas the other family remain
ed healthy; and when, at the suggestion of
medical friend who knew all the facts we
have told, we visited the place for the pur-
pose of thorougly investigating them, we
thought that these two houses were ter
ribly significant Illustration OF the exist
ence of this all-powerfnl law. Yet these
two homes had nothing peculiarly striking
to the passing stranger. They were situ-
ated In the same township and within O
very short distance one from the other, and
scarcely any one in the village with whom
we spoke on the aubject agreed with us in
our opinion that i was location alone, or
chiefly that, which gave life or death 10 the
inmates of the twJ.
We might speak of other homesteads
which seem to usnow to be the very nests
of consumption in consequence OF this law,
and vet not one parent in hundred ac-
knowledges even Theoretically his belief
IN the truth OF our assertion. Parents
themselves, during a long residence may
escape from the dire influences Of location;
and therefore they imagine, if their child
rem are falling that some evil agency Is at
work, rather than this law.S
Illustrative of this error on the part Of
parents, we cannot forbear relating the
following fact We know. of house stu
ated about a foot above and just on the
edge Of small lake. The cellar, if there
be one, must be, below the level of the wa
ter. The houae, built with taste. nestles
amid over-hangihg thickly leaved trees,
tbr0nph which the suns rays can scarcely
pefietrate even ut midday. The homestead
is oyerrun with the springing woodblne,
clematis and honeysuckle. Goodness,
dampness, and little sunlight are charac-
teristics of the spot. In the midst OF sum
mer it is the beotI ideal Of q quiet, refined
country house, which any one, even the
most fastidious, would desire to occupy, -
Yet as we have looked at it, and have re-
membered how one BY one the children
born in it have been cut off by consump-
ton, either at puberty or at early man
hood or womanhood, we have turned with
ioathing from all its external beauties, and
have regarded them all as SO many false
and fatal allurenents, bringing inevitable
ruin to those who should fall within the
sphere of their influence.
These tales areno creations of ourimag-
nation, but posidve and undeniable facts.