The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-08-30

uttering the most plaintive bleating,
as If suffering intensely painful distress.
The farmers had test for the health
fitness of beef cattle just off the wild
range; it may be designated as the
fatigue test. have often seen the
test applied. 1t consisted in placing
the animals in q field or lot, and boys,
with coats and hats off, were directed
to chase them around and urge them to
their greatest speed. If, after long
chase, the cattle did not evince signs OF
muscular weakness, stagger, tremble
and fall down, they where pronounced
healthy, and at once slaughtered and
their beef eaten with the utmost feeling
of security against the disease.
In the primitive days, when it was
claimed that men were more honest
than now, it was not always an easy
matter to determine just in what par
ticular neighborhood the poisonous
principle was located. as the story has
been current for thirty years that trav-
elers or land buyers, seeking homes in
the West, found it very difficult to catch
up with the place whore it had its hab-
itation; that in answer to their ques-
tons as to whether the neighborhood
was troubled with it, they Invariably
received the assurance that the disease
did not exist there, but "over at Jones',
five miles ahead, it was bad" Farm
ers then appeared to be as ready to sup
press the existence of this disease near
them as commercial men and newspa-
pers are to suppress the existence of
epidemic or contagious diseases in the
great marts of business. The disease
was known in North Carolina more
than hundred years ago, and as emf
grafton flowed westward it was found
to exist in Tennessee, Kentucky, and
has prevailed in these States, as well
as in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ala
bama, Virginia, and perhaps several
Western States other than those men
toned.
There are no statistics accessible from
which we may learn the fatality of this
subtle poison in man or beast. One of
the Oldest inhabitants-as truthful and
honorable as he is aged-states that at
an early day in the history of the city Of
Evansville, when much of the present
site was occupied by native forests, he
could walk from the present center of
business to the present Suburbs, dis
lance of two miles, on the bones of ami
mails which had died from ''trembles."
Another states that an entire family, .
wife, seven children and two grand
parents, was swept away in . single
season by this scourge.
The history of . single case will be
sufficient to illustrate the fact that the
greatest physical strength. when brought
into the unequal combat, was power
less to resist the fatal effects of this ter
rible and deadly malady. l witnessed.
when boy. the sufferings and death of
a neighbor from this poison His mus
cular strength was much greater than
that of ordinary men. Though not APP
parently large man, his frame was
compact, his form was symmetrical, his
muscles were firm and unusually de-
veloped, and his power seemed phe-
nomenal. His strength was particularly
manifested in athletic contests, and at
log rollings where q handspike, suffi-
cient to resist the strength Of an ordi-
nary man, was like brittle broomstick
when tested by his power. In his strug-
giles with the disease he was extremely
restless, so that no ordinary effort could
restrain him in bed. He would roll of
onto the floor and roll back and forth,
from one side of the room to the other
The struggle was terrible to behold3
but the physical giant, Jack Bowman,
was forced to yield to the overpowering
enemy.
Any attempt, on the part of man
not fully recovered from an attack, to
walk or run fast would induce q par,
oxysm of trembling, attended by great
muscular prostration and debility. He
would be compelled to sit down and
rest. or fall down. Active physical ex-
ertion. stimulated by excitement, would
Immediately endanger life. A farmer
lived on public road. His dog was
sick with ''trembles." A neighbor
passed along the road with q dog fol-
lowing him. The sick dog did not see
the other until it had passed some dis
lance beyond the house. The old habit
of chasing every dog that came in sight
of the farm had become second nature.
and SO stimulated him to run after,
catch and punish the intruder, that he
started off at his greatest possible speed.
but, before catching up with the strange
dog, he was seen to fall down, tremble
as with q convulsion, and, before the
farmer could walk to where he fell, was
dead. Dogs which had eaten Of
poisoned flesh became, in few days,
SO stiff and helpless that they could not
get over three-rail fence and were ut,
terly unfit for the chase of game or to
drive stock from the fields. Work-oxen
could endure but little travel or work.
Horses once affected-though looking
we'll were worthless for work or travel.
and traders could not speed them back
and forth to exhibit their superior gaits,
but had to trade them standing. If
man started to ride to q neighbours
lew miles away, his horse was liable to
give out on the road and leave him to
walk home.
Such is. briefly. the history Of the
pioneers enemy. W. Compton, in