The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-09-10
A FATAL SCOURGE.
No Remedy Observation-Disclosures Fall
Victims-Sad Scenes.


PARKERsBURG, W. VA, September g.
An alarming and wide-spreading disease,
of a character unknown to the local physi-
clans, has broken out in Clay County, this
State. The greatest fatality is geographic
cally marked thus far by a line drawn from
the head of Sycamore Greek across to the
Elk, inclosing the southwestern part of the
county. Sycamore Greek is small stream
running between steep hills from six hum
dred to thousand feet high, inclosing a
narrow valley of great richness but sparse
ly' settled, owing to the fact that the land
is principally owned in large bodies by
foreign parties. There are about sixty
families on the creek and its tributaries,
nearlytall of whom are. poor farmers or
woodmen. They reside in small log huts or
houses of one or two rooms, seldom more,
and are the posseSsorS of very few OF the
comforts of life and none of its 1uxul les.
Among this primitive but honest and hos.
pitable people "a strange and very fatal
disease has broken out, sweeping away
fully two-thirds of the people. From the
best accounts received the disease is un-
known to the physicians. In a number OF
taken down with it, and before physician
could be reached, generally living alta dis
tance, the unfortunate victim would suffer
torment and die in from one to three
hours; and before the physician would ar
rive others of the family would be down
with it. In several Instances while MEM
Der of family was dying another
would be heard crying and moaning
with deadliest pain, only to join the
long host within few hours or minutes.
1t is described as having symptoms similar
to cholera, excepting an internal hemor-
rhage which Immediately preceded death.
The fatality became so great that there
were scarcely enough able-bodied persons
left to care for the sick. Being contagious,
fear, no doubt, kept many away. One
with the disease while attending patients,
and to have succumbed in two hours. 1t is
particularly fatal among the children. A
family named Collins lost two children,
while one named Phelps or Phillips lost
three out of four little ones; Mr.. McGraw,
one; Mr.. Morton, two; Mr.. Walker,
Of of the County Commissioners, one
child and grown daugh ter, all in forty
eight hours. Many others, to the number
rible ma1ady and died within three or four
days. This is reported as happening only
on one creek, while number of fatalities
are being heard from at different points
north and south of Sycamore Greek. Owing
to the secluded position of these people,
and the difficulty in reaching them with
proper medical aid and assistance, the dis
ease will probably prove more fatal than
otherwise would have been the case. There
are number of theories and conjectures
regarding it, many ascribing it to the water.
which is believed to be poisoned with
the germs of the disease. Others believe it
to be the cholera, but are no doubt mistaken
in their belief, as the symptoms do not JUS
tify that idea. In fact, the disease ap-
pears to be of the same nature, to a great
extent, as that which devastated several
localities in the lower end of the State last
fall. 1t is stated that the scenes along this
creek during the prevalence of the disease
beggared description. The moans and
shrieks of pain, the terror of those
yet unstricken by the fell dis
ease, and the sad sight of the
funeral rites of the victims in the lonely
depths of the dark woods, where
often there were scarcely enough left to
dig the shallow grave and consign the
dead to their future home, the tears and
cries of the friends and relatives of the
dead, were SO sad, so heart-rending, that it
would bring tears to the eyes of any living
human being. None of the physicians ap-
pear as yet to have discovered the nature
of the disease or to render any aid in a
single instance. From Sycamore Creek
the disease is reported to be rapidly
spreading in every direction, and if some
thing does not soon occur to stop it, it will
depopulate the southwestern portion of the
county.