Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-10
THE SOUTHERN PLAGUE.
q4x DISEASE EXAGGERATED.

7HE DISEASE ELABORATED.
Ne Denssusieu snd No Relief Needed Exetps
ssr ssssuach. Aehe--A Pkssieiss's Diasas'
sfs.
An Abingdon (va.) special to the new .
York Herald says: Your correspondent
called on Or. George T.. Wiley. pro nh
urns physictsu Of this place, and he kindly
answered some questions, from which the
following facts were ascertaned and arc
now transmitted direct from him;
DOCTOR INVESTIGATES.
"Having heard so much OF the suferings
Of the plague-strickep people OF wise ana
chic adjoining counties, and, having read
Two or three blood-curdIlng and beartrend.
ING newspaper articles. / determined 70
visit these suffering people and investigate
FOR myseif their true condition and give
them whatever assistance ] could IN the
way OF professional services and advice.
was also authorized TO find ont where the
fund OF 81, 200 donated for the relief OF the
sufferers In the counties OF Southwestern
yirejn,a wps most needed. and to put 1t
info the proper channels TO reach the most
afflicted districts. DR.. W. w. Gold, our
most worthy and competent druggist. gave
me e25 or $50 worth Of drugs TO be used
for he benefit OF the sufferers. Below l
piye ss nearly as possible the true state OF
the condition Of the people OF Wise county.
IN WISE COUNTY.
II entered the county at the southwest
crn side, at Wbeeler's Ford, and went
through IN the northeastern portion OF the
county. visiting such people as ] thought
important 10 see. give the statement OF
some Of the leading cilizens OF the county
in their own language:
"Mr. John Banner. who lives north OF
Clinch river, says that there has been no
more sickness in his neighborhood than
usual for five miles around his place. The
people have been as well az usual and not
in need.
"Silvester Bush, north OF MILESTONE
mountain, says that there has been but IT.
tie sickness in that ueighborhood. Benia-
min Jordan and Patsey and Jane Jordan
were sick with something like flux. In
Sandy Ridge there has been some flux.
"Dayid Deerheld, OF Dry Fork, says
there has been no more sickness than usual
In our community, and the reports as re-
CARDS want Of food are utterly false.
Benjamin G. Cole, OF Guestes station,
SAYS that that neighbOrhood has been as
free from sickness az ever, and all the talk
about the people being In want is an alb
surd lie.
ct. G.Wells, Judge Of the County Court,
who resides at Gladeville, says that the dis
ease has aba,ed and that there had been no
deaths for ten days, and no new cases.
The epidemic was bad enough, but nothing
FLO az had os has hppn rpD0rfpd
"Tbe population OF Wise Is about seven
thousand, and there have been two hum
or less deaths in The county since last July.
Ninety Of this number have died in the
Pound district, and all these deaths have
occurred within an area OF Eve miles. Two
thirds OF these occurred in the Gladeyille
district. The others were isolated cases.
There has been no sickness OF any kind
among livestock.
THE DEATH.RATE.
alt is not worth the space TO give the
statements Of Others that have. but suffice
IL to say that from the best information TINT
could get there have been about 200 deaths
since July LIST in Wise county, % in Dicken-
son. 20 in Buchanan, 10 in Russell, Is in
Scott, and 6 in Lee counties. Va. The
wheat crop in Wise was uncommonly good
this year, and wheat can be purchased from
75c. to 81 per bushel. Flour is selling at
$3.50 per 100 pounds. Corn Is selling at
from ~ TO soc. per bushel. Garden vegeta-
bles fell but little below an average yield.
THE ALNsHOUsE INMATES.
"Mr. II. w. Smith, Superintendent OF
the Poor. has had no application for assist
auce nor for admission TO the almshouse.
Miss Betty Huff, an old lady. who has been
blind for number OF years. Is the only in
mate Of the Wise county poorhouse.
RELIEF FUNDS GOING A.BEGGIYG.
al requested the Judge TO appoint com.
mittee OF three in the three most afflicted
districts to find out what people were in
need OF assistance, and to report TO T.. +.
Flannery, State senator from Wise county,
and he could draw upon the Exchange and
Deposit Bank Of Abingdon for portion Of
the fund donated by the st. Louis cattle
dealers, and deposited in the said bank by
our CONGRESSMAN elect, G. f. Trigg. for the
relief Of the sufferers in the district. The
Judge appointed the committee suggested
by me. / did not know Of any other plan
by which this fund could be properly man.
aged, and hence adopted the one above
mentioned. IL was the first time in my life
ever had any difficulty in giving away
money, but the Wise-county people are
honest and brave. Many Of them are in
dieDant at the reports that have been circu-
lated about their destitute condition.
THE MOUNTAIN CHOLERA.
"In regard to the disease that has pre-
vailed in Wise and the adjoining counties,
| will say by careful examination OF all
the facts could gather, by observation and
from the statements OF some OF the leading
physicians Of the county, the disease has
been malignant iluX, in many cases assum-
ing typhoid symptoms. The patients were.
as rule. taken suddenly i'll with vomiting
and violent cramping OF the bowels, similar
TO cbolera-morbus. The pulse was fast and
full-120 to $50 beats per minute. The
temperature was not taken by any OF the
native physicians, but was from 100 To 104.
upon their Judgment. There was rarely
any delirium. The patients in fatal cases
died from five to fifteen days after the at
tack. he disease has no resemblance 10
cholera, although il is called by the resident
physicians mountain cholera. The NOR
tally was greatest among old people and
children.
THE NATIVE PHYSICIANS.
ne tUNslcEtUS Lfldt uttenutu UlOSI OF
these cases in Wise county were Drs. b. b.
Redwin. Anderson Wells, NJ. b. Taylor,
Jerry Wells, j. f. Davis, and James A.
Hall. These gentleman say the patients
that received no treatment did as well and
perhaps better than those who had medi-
cal attention.
CAUSES OF THE EPIDEMIC.
"The etiology Of the disease may be at
trbuted to two or three causes. There is
no doubt but that the water has become
strongly impregnaiei with minerals, and in
many instances full Of animalcula. In Au-
gust there were few showers that wet the
leaves, and the warm weather soon decom-
posed moist vegetable matter. which was
washed into the springs and creeks by the
showers that afterward fell, none Of which
were heavy enough to wash the creeks aud
springs clean. The vegetable poison re-
In the water, together with the
mineral deposit, afforded an abundant
cause for the disease. The people Of Wise
are now satisfied that the epidemic is passed,
and are contented and happy.
THE CoUNTy-sEAT.
"Gladeville, the cOunty-seat. is situated
seventeen miles southeast OF the Cumber.
land Mountains on q beautiful table land,
and contains five stores, two hotels, a col