The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-24
The pIckcns Horror.

The Pickcns Horror.
DR.. 2. A. Wilhite, who is a member of
the State Board of Health, received no.
tice last Thursday from the Executive
Committee of the Board, requesting him
to go to Pickens County and Investigate
the cause of the sickness and mortality
in the family of Mr.. Joseph Hardin, o
brief account of which appeared in the
INTELL1aENoER last week, copied from
the Columbia Register and Greenville Ne,us.
DR.. White left the city Friday afternoon
and returned on Monday. Several ru-.
mors in reference to the cause of the deaths
had been published, and, with view of
getting the truth of the matter, we sought
DR.. Wilhite on Tuesday and asked him to
tell us about the family and the cause of
the deaths.
The following are the main facts Of
what he related to us:
''When I reached Pickens CT I pro-
cured ihe services of two citizens and two
physicians, one of whom was and had
been attending the family, and immedi-
ately proceeded to the house of Mr.. Har.
din, who resides about four miles north
of the town. When we reached the house
we found most deplorable state of affairs.
Mr.. Hardin lay on a bed in one corner of
the room, son, about - years of age, on
another bed, Mrs. Hardin on quilt on
the floor, and in two feet of her lay the
corpse of a daughter. This was the sixth
death that had occurred iu the family in
few days time. The atmosphere of the
room was almost intolerable. The bed
clothing had been soiled to that degree
that good portion Of it had been throw
out into the yard.
"Haying heard the rumors about the
well being poisoned, and that snakes and
dead dogs had been found in 1t, at once
proceeded to examine 1t. After no little
trouble, I succeeded in hiring man to
go down into the we'll and carefully ex-
anime it. There was nothing in the well
but pure, clear water, and of course this
was not the cause of the sickness.
'Mr. Hardin attended the o. S. Court
at Charleston this Spring as a witness.
He left that city on the day of the wash
outs on the railroad and was delayed at
Aston for day or two. While at Alston
lie was attacked with the dysentery, and
when he reached home he was prostrated
with the disease. Soon after reaching
home his children, eight in number, who
were just recovering from the measles,
were, one after another, stricken with the
dysentery until all we're down, one not
being able to munster to the wants or
comforts of the other. Mrs. Hardin was
also prostrated with the same disease. In
this condition all of them lay in one room,
which was about 1Sx2O feet square. There
were only two beds in the room, and of
course some of the family had to lie on
the floor. Three of the children died in
short time, and this alarmed the neigh
bors, who refused to go near the house or
assist in relieving the afflicted household,
as it had been reported through the neigh
borhood that Mr.. Hardin had returned
from Charleston afflicted with cholera or
some other terrible disease. AS soon as
the condition of the family reached the
ears of the citizens of Pickens G. H., Mr..
Boggs, editor of the Sentinel, and few
others visited the house, and, after doing
all they possibly could do for the suffer
ers, made an effort to hire some one to
stay with the family and wait on them,
but their efforts were in vain.
"Mr. Hardin is poor, Woodworking
man, but is honest, upright and respecta-
bic. Before left there, 1 had the family
moved into an. old vacant house which
| stood near by. The stencil where the sick
lay was intolerable and knew that if
icy remained there not one would sur
vive. All OF them were afflicted with
malignant case of dysentery, and, coming
on them Immediately after the measles,
made it tenfold worse. My opinion is
that the deaths were caused from neglect
or the want of proper attention, though,
it is possible, that the disease would have
proved fatal even under the best treat
ment."
"Had the family had any attention from
physician, doctor?"
"Oh, yes; DR.. Bramlett, young ply
sician residing in that section had attend
ed the family, and had used every effort
to relieve the sufferers, but could do moth
ing under the circumstances"
"Haye the citizens done nothing to re-
lieve the family?"
eyes, the citizens of Pickens @. II. have
gone to work to relieve the sufferings of
the family, and will no doubt do every
thing possible for them" We regret that
our limited space will not permit US to
publish our interview in full with the
Doctor. The above, however, is enough
to show what terrible condition the
family were in. DR.. White is one of
our Oldest and most prominent physi-
clans, and has been practicing medicine
for years. He says he has never seen or
heard of family so badly afflicted.
Pioneer Fire Company.
A special meeting of the Pioneer Fire
Company was held last Friday evening,
and motion adopted to disband the Com