Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-12-12
THAT MOUNTAIN PLAGUE.
Dr.. ]. 0. Carson, Who Was Sent
Out by the State Board Of
Health, Gives the Result
Of His Investigation.
ITO the Editor of the COurler-JOurnal.l

and since it was made for the State
Board of Health and for the general
good of the State, it is but right that
some account of it should be given
through your paper. In order to
make my report as correct as posi-
bic, | not only went where the dis
ease was the most prevalent, but Wis
tied the houses where it had been the
most fatal, examined and tasted the
water they had been using, and made
inquiry as to their diet and sanitary
surroundings. In addition to good
pocket-map Of the State and border
ing counties. | had access 10 some
typographical and geological maps of
that section, which were furnished
me by Gen. W. w. Duffield, of De-
troit. lie is West Pointer Of 1872,
and United States Surveyor, and
has been stationed there for year,
consequently his information was
quite valuable to me.
That region is made up of the diff
ferent ranges aud spurs of the Cum
berland mountains. The greatest
elevation is that Of the Big Black
mountain, $500 feet. Between these
ranges and along their mountain sides
flow the springs and creeksthat form
the headwaters of the Cumberland
and Kentucky rivers. The source of
the two rivers and the whole Upper
valley cf the Cumberland are of the
carboniferous or coal bearing period,
which refutes the idea of poisonous
mineral springs, since this formation
contains no mineral, except small
trace of carburet of Iron and at. little
Of sulphur.
Different minerals do exist Oh the
other.side of the Cumberland noun
tains i'll Tennessee and Virginia, but
none in that portion of Kentucky.
Last spring was very wet, and was
followed by long drouth, which
lasted from the first of June till al
most the present time, which was so
severe that most of the wells, springs
and creeks were either dried up or
ceased running and became mere
stagnant pools, exposing to the action
of the hot sun fresh Vegetation on
their margins as they became lower
each day, and finally resulted in re-
gular reservoirs of malarial poison
In some cases water was hauled and
empted in their wells and then used
In every instance, where the disease
existed there was standing water
about the premises. either in the
, wells, springs, or bed of some sing
gish stream, and frequently furnished
their only drinking water.
The houses are log and very opel
and somewhat crowded, and ar
built low down to the valley, and tn,
heavy mountain fogs laden with thi!
, malarial atmosphere found free &C
cess. They raise very little but corr
and some stock their bread is gener
ally made Of corn-meal, coarsel,
: ground on little water-mills or b,
hand-mills, similar to the one sent b,
Harlan county TO the last Exposition
!. and sometimes grittcd by hand (nOt
p very wholesome diet for sick people.
r They are naturally prejudiced agains
, doctors, and rarely send for one till j
I is too late, and then give him credi
for losing patient. The disease wa
epidemic-dysentery, caused by ma
larial poison. Some cases began wit
, Il decided chill, and were nearly al
a., ways complicated with malarial fe
YER and were aggravated by ovel
crowding, improper food, want q
medical attention and the necessar
=. conveniences for the care of the sicl
q The number of deaths by countit
f were: Harlan, 10; Knox, 20; Bel
%; Leslie, 30; Letcher, 30; White!
80, or even more, and still you don
have 200; am sure it would not eS
coed 225. Now, / am aware tha
. these figures are smaller than any ye
given, but want to get the trut
:, and am satisfied they are as correct a
can be given, except by exact census
They are large enough when you loo
at the fact that the counties are larg
y and thinly settled.
Al Pineville 1. met DR.. j. d. HUI
= bell, of Washington, the Genert
Field Agent of the Red Cross Assoc
. alton. We had both finished our il
vestigations and carefully canvasse
the statistics of each county and foun
them almost exactly alike. He ais
" gave me the statistics he had collec
&c in Virginia, West Virginia an
Tennessee. lie placed the deaths
those States at from $50 to 800, an
y was sure the whole number of dealt
- in all the States would not exceed so
- / met nearly every doctor in tho
;, counties and found them sensibl
=, practicable men. All agreed tn
- the origin of the epidemic was NAL
. rial and were satisfied that it was n
contagious. DR.. Hubbell was i
;" clined to believe that dysentery W
- due to special poison added to al
" propagated by malaria. l learn,
" that about 1865 or 1866 the same Sc
70 ton was visited by similar diseas
In that country alone will you fiji
0' the primitive Kentuckian of 60 or