Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-07-19
NITRATE OF SILVER.
Results of Its Use as q Desperate
Remedy for Epilepsy.
An Artificial Negroes Experience with
this DruS-A Cure Almost
~ Mad AS the Dis
ease.
Kansas CITY STAR


In the wide. level grass plot west Of the
grand stand at the interstate fair grounds, q
dark-skinned solitary figure stands all day
long switching the clover-tops with a crooked
cane and keeping q desultory watch for tres
passers on the line Of the fence. Pretending
to watch would be perhaps more accurate
for he is lame on one side and walks with
difficulty, 50 he stands still, mostly looking
drearily at the sky and fields
Those who pass on the road notice him sim
ply a. an inotfensige negro, but the few who
had occasion to walk over the field near to
him have started in surprise, not unmixed
with horror, at something monstrously I'm.
natural i'll his appearance. He is black, but
not like an African in color or features. 1t
is rather blue-black; an uncanny, hideous
shnde that seems as though his skin had been
first drained of all blood and smeared with
dye. When one comes 10 look at him closely
the peculiar shade in photograph is irresist-
IDLY called to mind. His face looks almost
exactly like a Photographic proof that has
nearly faded out or turned black.
Even the eyeballs and lips partake of the
discoloration. The balls of the former are
dusky blue and the latter a dark purple
Against his skin a reddish beard forms
being is Thomas White. and he has lived
near here the larger part Of his life. His
color is the result Of taking nitrate of silver
as medicine, and he is a living example of
a cruel penalty that science imposes for a
desperate cure.
reporter, whose curiosity overcame his
hesitancy at approaching so delicate a sub
ject, strolled across through the clover field
yesterday and engaged White in converse
ton.
"Will tell you about MYSELF" said he II
don't mind. Sit down here by me on the log
and I'll do the best l can. l suppose you
want to know what secured me this color
1t Is from nitrate of silver l have taken.
Twenty-iiv. years ago-yes, more, for
it was a good deal before the war
lsuffere1 terribly from epileptic hts. had
one every day or two and was rapidly losing
my mind. could remember nothing, got SO
weak and thin could scarcely get around,
aud was dying by inches. About that time
Judge Taller, who used TO he a big man here,
and was subject TO epilepsy, told me that
nitrate Of silver, taken internally, would cure
me. He had used it himself and it had
turned his skin black just you mine
now, only perhaps worse He was curl
osity all around, and used to BE- afraid to
look at him.
"The idea of getting that way turned me
sick, and thought then would rather die
than use the stuff. The fits, though, got to
coming SO fast and SO bad that saw / would
probably die anyhow, and made up my mind
to begin with it. My mother, though, would
rot hear Of my taking it. had good white
skin then, and the notion of me turning black
more than she could stand. At last,
though, she saw how things were and gave
her consent.
Then began to take the medicine. got
it put up in pills Of three-quarters Of agrain
each, and woud take three or four Of them
a day. don't know how long kept that
up. 1t would be impossible to tell Ii was
for months, thought guess years For
long time there was no change in my skin.
Then be gan to turn black very slowly. At
first you could hardly notice it at all. Then
it got deeper and deeper 1t seemed as though
it took all color away with it, and folks used
to say at first that looked pale and wouldn't
notice the black at all 1t came so graiu-
ally that had chance to get used TO it. and
also those around me. it wasn't So hard.
People TOLD me that it would affect me bad
when | got Old, bnt have never felt any in
jury from it except tn. staining Of my skin. l
have rheumatism, an strong light makes
my eyes a tritly weak, but I'm IS years Old
now, and might feel 50 anyhow. Judge Tai
Ter died, folks said, from the medicine, but
1t has never hurt me-"
"How did it affect the iitsf
at stopped them. finally began to taper
off on the nitrate of silver, and got it down
to grain day, and finally grain a week
i have taken none now for about two years.
Once, years ago, | thought was completely
cured, and took none for eighteen months,
but the fits came back, and began again on
it at once, and the medicine checked them. l
would have surely been dead had it not been
for it, and now am toerably stout for
man Of my age. and have wife and four
Children
Nv ere you married.
"Yes,' he replied, quickly, anticipating the
question: Il was married after the colorng
began. | was engaged to be married before
l commenced TO take the medicine, and
well, she didn't abandon me because grew
ugly to look at. My mind came back again,
and l would rather have the blue skin a
thousand times over again than the disease"
lie pulled his hat over his blackened fore
head, and resumed his impassive switching
of the clover blooms with his cronkad cana