The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-01-02
NESTS OF CONSUMPTION.
BY DR.. HENRY I. BOWDITCH.

chusetts of whom the following story
may be told. Two healthy brothers
married two healthy sisters. Both had
large families of children. One lived
on the old homestead, on the southern
slope of one of the numerous beautiful
and well-drained hills in that vicinity.
The whole house was bathcd all day
long in sunlight, and consumption did
not touch any of the young lives under
its roof The other brother placed his
house at very short distance off, but
upon a grassy plain, covered all sum-
mer with the rankcst vcrdurc. In its
front was large open common" In
the centre of this, water oozcd up from
between the split hoofs of the cows, as
they came lowing homeward at even
ing, and the barefooted boy who was
driving them used to shrink from the
place, and preferred to make the cir
cult of its edge rather than to follow
the lead of his more quiet comrades
Back of the house was large level
meadow, reaching to the very founda-
ton ofthe building. Through this mea-
dow sluggishly crept the millstream ofthc
adjacent village. Still further, all three
surroundings were enclosed by lofty
hills. The life-giving sun rose later
and set earlier upon this than upon the
other fair homestead. Till late in the
forenoon, and long before sunset left
the hillside home, damp and chilling
emanations arose from the meadow, and
day after day cnveloped the tender
forms of the children that were TRYING
IN VAIN TO GROW up hcalthlly 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 remained 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 thoroughly investigating them,
we thought that these two houses were
terribly significant illustration of the
existence of this all-powcrful law. Yet
these two homes had nothing peculiarly
noticeable by the passing stranger
They were situated in the same town.
ship and within very short distance
one from the other, and scarcely any
one in the village with whom we spoke
on the subject agreed with Us in our
opinion that it was location alone, or
chiefly that, which gave life or death
to the inmates of the two.
We might speak of other homcsteads
which seem to us now to be the very
nests of consumption in consequence of
this law, and yet not one parent III a
hundred acknowledges even thcoreti-
cally his belief in the truth of our as
sertion. Parents themselves, during a
long residence, may escape from the
dire influences of location; and there
fore they imagine, if their children are
falling, that some other evil agency Is
at work, rather than this law.
Illustrative of this error ON the part
of parents, we cannot forbear relating
the following fact. We know of house
situated about foot above and just on
the edge of small lake. The cellar, if
there be one, must be below. the level
of the water. The house, built with
taste, nestless amid over-hanging thick
ly leaved trees, through which the suns
rays can scarcely penetrate even at
midday. The homestead is overrun
with the springing woodbine, clematis,
and honeysuckle. Goodness, dampness,
and little sunlight arc the characteris-
tics of the spot. In the midst of sum
mer it is the beau ideal of 9 quiet, re-
fined country house, which any one,
even the most fastidious, would desire
to occupy. Yet as we have looked at
it, and have remembered how one by
one this children born in it have been
cut off by consumption either at puberty
or at early manhood Or womandood, we
have turned with loathing from all its
external beauties, and have regarded
them all as so many false and fatal al
lurements, bringing inevitable ruin to
those who should fall within the sphere
of their influence.
These tales are no creations OF oul
imagination. but positive and undcnla
bic facts.