The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-12-11
From The Charlotte Observer.

and induced individuals to give their ex-
perience and opinions upon this mysteri-
Gus subject. From these your correspon-
dent selects various statements and con-
lectures, many, it is true, conflicting,
but nevertheless novel and interesting.
The symptoms of the disease, as devel-
oped in men are very great nausea and a
high degree of nervous excitement, end
ding in tremblings, convulsions and
death. Fever of low type accompanies
it, and inexperienced physicians often
treat it for typhoid fever in its first
stages. heard an intelligent physician
say that his graduating thesis was upon.
"milk Sickness" for which he was COM
plimented, and that the first case of the
kind he was called to attend he failed to
recognize the disease, and was treating it
for typhoid fever, until an old lady of
the neighborhood happened at the house,
and inquired if there was not milk sick
ness in the house, and on the physician
asking why, replied that she smelled it.
The doctor says she was correct, and that
his subsequent experience taught him
that there is peculiar odor emanating
from this disease which is easily recog-
nized by those familiar with it.
HOW IT is COMMUNICATED.
Persons are poisoned either by eating
the flesh of cattle or sheep that have fed
upon it, or drinking the milk or by eat
ing butter made from the cream. /. is
the better opinion that meat which has
been salted and had to take the salt will
not produce the sickness, and for the same
reason butter well salted may be eaten
with impunity, though there are many
we'll informed persons who say that this
is by no means a sure preventive. Cat
tie often acquire the disease and it lies
dormant it the system and undiscovered
until they are driven and heated, and
then it is developed, and the same applies
occasionally to persons who are not bad
ly poisoned. It is said that COWS giving
milk do not suffer, while the calf sucking
the milk dies. Buttermilk very seldom,
fever poisons, the poison goes off in the
butter.
WHAT CAUSES THE PoIsoNs.
Science nor observation has ever set
tied this question satisfactorily or even
with probable certainty. An intelligent
farmer of this county says the poison on
ly exists along the great copper or lead
belt which passtJ through the State, and
that it can be traced in this way from
Ducktown to Orc Knob, and he infers
therefore that it is mineral poison
eyaporating from copper ore. He cites
the fact that fish always die in. the
streams near copper mines. found it
to be the prevailing opinion in the coun-
ties of Haywood, Macon and Cherokee
that it was produced by cobalt, a mineral
generally known under the popular name
of "fy poison" They think in damp
places it crystalizes on the rocks and
cattle lick it and in that way become in
fected with the poison.
There are many, and perhaps major
ity of the people, who believe that the
poison is vegetable, and that cattle ac-
quire it by eating grasses in certain vi
entities, generally in coves on the North
side of mountains. They say, and this
is admitted, that cattle kept up until the
dew is off the grass in the morning sell
dom get poisoned, and that it does not
exist in Southern exposures where the
sun can penetrate and dry the grass ear
ly. They cite instances of cattle feeding
in the same range, and those that come
to it from distance are not infected be-
cause they do not get there early in the
morning, while those who feed in the
same spot early sicken and die. I heard
one old gentleman of intelligence say
thai there is disease known generally
here as "fall poison" which very greatly
resembles "milk Sickness" and people
think it is the same disease. 1t is often
contracted by cattle from eating grass
that was allowed to stand in the mead
ows until the frosts fell upon it, and that
it is occasionally produced by eating oats
or rye that lay upon the ground too long
and become damp. This ''fall poison" l
have no doubt, is identical with milk
sickness. The symptoms described are
exactly the same. These are the various
opinions, and you can see how uncertain
are the sources of this mysterious disease.
1t is merely conjecture as yet what pro-
duces it.
THE REMEDIES.
This is the most pleasant part of the
subject under discussion. Brandy and
honey mixed and used in large doses is
the universal remedy, and is said to be
specific when administered in the early
stages of the disease. The revenue Off
GERS have made the remedy so scarce and
costly that many die now who might 9TH
erwise be restored. The Wricklers were
too poor to procure the remedy. 1t is
said that a woman suffering from milk
poison can drink quart of apple brandy
without becoming intoxicated. Brandy
operates in this disease like it does on
snake poison. Apropos to this heard
one gentleman say that he knew two cas-
es cured by quack doctor, who admin
istered to his patients the broth from
boiled rattlesnakes.
1t is related of two professedly pious
persons in this region that they conclud-
ed they had "milk Sickness" and to test
it sent off for some brandy and honey and
began to use the remedy watching the
effect of the dose as test Of the presence
of the disease. 1t was palatable and they
repeated often and were conversing IN
fine humor when Shanghai rooster be-
longing to one of the parties came stalk
ing into the house, whereupon mllkslck
man NO OHereu MS pelSuuoi loity uof
lars for his game cock, but the neighbor
replied he was not to be fooled out of his
property-that nothing short of fifty dol
ars would take that rooster. An ooser-
want old lady present called out. "Boys,
no milk sick here; that brandy is max
ing drunk come"
I found that in Haywood and other
Western counties they rely much on
quick and powerful purgative, using doses
ofcalomel, castor oil and occasionally Gro
ton oil. This remedy is said to be effective
also. Persons who have once been poi
soned, often suffer for..life from it and have
returns of the symptoms when they under
20 exertion or excitement and the nervous
system is often debilitated for years by
it. The disease is not near so fatal as it
.o-.a ~o,re o1o Moro than twO-