The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-12-05
THE MYSTERIOUS MALADY.
Prevailing in the Mountainous Region of
southwestern Virginia.

Prevailing in the Mountainous Region Of
Southwestern Virginia.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. CIV. d. Jones,
Of this city, the largest individual landowner
In the mountain region of south western yir-
gina and eastern Kentucky and Tennessee,
who has just returned from . visit to his
property, to-day made some interesting
statements about the mysterious malady
which caused such fatality among the people
there. The country, he says, Is wholly I'M
like anything he has ever seen or heard Of In
the United States, and, In bis opinion, its
physical and geological peculiarities are re-
sponsible for the trouble. The waters Of
five good-slzed streams, which have their rise
within very narrow radius, are very large
ly mineral, aud the hills are full of iron..and
copper ore and coal, lying, in many instsn.
ces, close together. During the summer and
autumn, for q period of three months or
more, great dreuth prevailed, and nearly
ALL THE STREAMS DRIED UP,
SO that, not only the people, but animals,
suffered from want of water. All sorts of
experiments we're resorted to. Most of the
water secured was from caverns and small
lakes. The little water that remains In the
most active springs became so thoroughly
saturated with the various mineral substan-
ces that 1t was almost sure death to drink 1t
in any quantity. Even the best of this dan.
gcrous stuff had to be hauled five or six
miles. Mr.. Jones says that in all about two
hundred deaths have occurred from
MINERAL POISONING,
And there are about 800 persons still sick.
In all cases persons have complained for
day or two, and have then been seized with
violent hemorrhage and nausea, dying in
short time. The doctors all agree that 1t Is
mineral poisoning, and have treated it as
such, in many cases successfully. Children
and women suffer most, while men of strong
constitution generally manage to get over the
attack. The only outside relief that has
been rendered the afflicted locality Is 81, 200
from the cattle convention In session at st.
Louis.
THE RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.--Dr. J. B. Hun
nibell of the Red Cross Association left here
to night to visit the locality of this mysteri-
Gus disease prevailing In Virginia, and af-
ford relief to the sufferers.
HINTON, w. Va, Nov. 2s.-The rumors
OF a plague In the extreme southern part Of
this State, in Western Virginia and In Ken
lucky are fast giving way to startling facts.
The center of the afflicted district Is In the
center f Dickinson county, Virginia, in the
midst OF the Cumberland Mountains, and
over 100 miles from the nearest railway sta
ton. The greatest restitution prevails, and
cold weather Is sure to cause such mortality
IS even the present state of affairs has not
begun to equal. The last rainfall was on
August 3D., unless II has fallen within q
week. The last person arriving here from
that section was n commercial traveller for q
Baltimore house, who left Leesburg one
week ago yesterday. He says business is at
. standstill, and crops failure. Many fam
lilies have not bushel of grain nor head of
live stock left. Medicines are exhausted,
and physicians are nearly all dead from
overwork.
CoRPsEs LIE FOX DAYS UNBUMED.
In many instances wafer is carriad for three
and four miles In buckets. There Is no run.
ming water left; that which is used being
found in pools in the deeper holes in the |
creek bottoms. Louisa river has not suti. |
cient water In IL to float chip, save in pools.
Fish are dead by tons. Indeed there Is not |
q live fish In six or seven counties. The |
water evaporated, and that which was left |
retained all the salts and miner.
ais. 1t is believed tkat drinking this water
produced the disease. The disease Is not |
contagious. That belief arose from the fact |
that everybody was taken with the same |
the ignoran, population not ress-
oning as 10 the real cause. The lack of suf- |
ticient and proper food greatly increases the
The latest accounts place the
number of deaths at two thousand. The pa
tient is seized with vertigo, heavy fever,
complete inconsistencies, with involuntary
discharges much colored with blood.
DEATH ENsUEs IN ABOUT TEN HOURS,
The victim suffering intensely. The scenes
Of distress are terrible. All the people are
poor mountaineers, most Of them living in |
log houses Of two rooms, occupied by from
.wo to dozen persons. In some instances
he disease has swept of whole families, the
last members to die being left unburied.
Up mountain passes and along small streams
in the valleys, are 10 be found scores of
houses unoccupied. because their owners are
lead. Animals suffer the same symptoms as
men. The cries Of children begging for food
ire pitiful. Ifrelief Is sent it must be soon,
before the roads are blocked with snow.
There is little Of the plague In West yir-
yinla-only portions Of Mcdowell, Mercer
md Logan counties suffering. The deaths
here do not exceed 200. but the loss to stock
md crops will be over s1o0, 900.