St. Landry democrat., 1886-01-16
CAROLINA cLAY.EATERS.
a Physician's Analysis shows that the clay
Contains Arsenic.

~AnA1tE%fN S@eA $500 ~se
A Physicians Analysis shows that the clay
Contains Arsenic.
It has been matter of speculation
for years as to why the ''poor white
trash of Central North Carolina ate
the clay that is found in that part OF the
country. It remained for a Philadel-
phia physician to solve the mystery: a
short time ago DR.. Frank Fl. Getchel'
of 1882 Spruce street, went on gun
ming expedition to North Carolina his
quest for game led him into the wild
country back Of Salisbury, which is IN
habited, for the most part, by misera-
BILE race of being s with only just enough
energy to exc out wretched existence.
These creatures are nearly all verltabie
living skeletons, and, with few excep-
tons, are addicted to the habit OF clay
eating.
While shooting wild turkey and other
game in this wild region, DR.. Getchel
made an incidental study of this pecu-
liar habit of vice among the inhabitants
It is a mountainous country, ana IN the
spring little rivulets start out from the
caps of snow on the mountain, and, as
the days grow warmer, the little rFu-
lets become torrents, and great wash
outs are made along the mountain SIDE
The soil is of a heavy, clayey nature
but there are strata OF clay that Is
heavier than the rest, and when the
water rushes down this clay is formed
into little pellets, and rolls and accumu-
lates in heaps in the valley. These lit
tie pellets and rolls are what the clay
Aaters devour with as much avidity as
topper swallows glass of whisky.
:'Amone the poor people OF thus sec.
tion,'' said DR.. Getchell, ''the habit OF
eating clay is almost universal. Even
little toddlcrs are confirmed in the
habit, and the appetite seems to increase
with time. While investigating the
matter, l entered cabin occupied by
one of these poor families, and saw
| little chap tied by the ankle to the leg OF
a table, on which was placed big dish
| of bread and meat and potatoes within
easy reach. The child was kicking and
crying, and asked his mother why she
had tied him up. She replied that she
wanted him to eat some food before be
went out to the clay and he refused to
| do so. The woman confessed that she
ate the clay herself, but explained that
the child's health demanded that it eat
| some substantial food before eating any
| earth. Almost every one met in this
section was addicted to this habit. They
were all very thin, but their flesh seemed
to be pulled out This was particularly
noticeable about the eyes, which had q
sort of reddish hue.
':All OF the clay-eaters were excess
sively lazy and indolent, and all OF
| these conditions combined led me to the
conclusion that there must be some
scdative or stimulating qualities. or
both, in the clay, and determined to
find out whether there was or not l
consequently brought lot OF the clay
home with me, and Professor Herman
and myself made an analysis OF the
stuff, and discovered that, instead OF
clay-eaters, the inhabitants of central
North Carolina should more properly
be called arsenic-eaters. All of this
CLAW contains arsenic, but exactly IN
what proportion we have not yet dis
covered Arsenic-eating is common in
many parts of the world, and is prac-
ticed to greater or less extent through
out the world. 1t acts as a sedative and
also as stimulant. The mountaineers
of Syria, Austria, are habitual arsenic
| eaters. They give as their reason for
eating it that they are better able to
climb the mountains after eating the
poison, and their explanation is q per-
fectly reasonable one, as arsenic acts as
a sedative to the hearts action. The
habit is also prevalent in the Tyrol and
in the Alps.
lit is also said that the peasant girls
of Switzerland and parts of Germany
and in Scandinavia eat arsenic to give
luster to their eyes and color to their
cheeks. but this is matter / have not
Investigated. 1t has been shown thai
arsenic or arsenical fumes are a sure
cure for intermittent fever. The inhab.
itants of a section of Cornwall, England,
at one time allasuffered with this type Of
fever, but when the copper works were
established there the fever disappeared
This was accounted for by the arserica
fumes created in the treatment Of
copper as to whether arsenic-eatine
shortcns life am not yet prepared tt
say, but intend investigating the mat
ter thoroughly. "--Phs1adelphia Times