Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23
CLAY-EiTERS.
Curious Glass of People Near Columbia, s.
c., Whose Only Existence is Kaolin.
Atlanta Constitution

Atlanta Constitution.
! A Columbia, S. c., correspondent, writ
ing TO the Constitution, says: While
standing in Main street conversing with
a young physician of this city, I was &C
| costed suddenly by an old man, who
thrust a paper into my unwilling hand,
uttering these pathetic words as he did
so:
''For Gods sake, read that gentle
menu
My friend, who was pre- JUDGED against
beggars in general, and "sandhillors'' in
particular, was for sternly Diminishing the
intruder, but something peculiarly plead
ing in the aged medicant's look arrested
that purpose and impelled him to follow
the dictates of his nobler nature, and to
relieve the distresses of the poor wretch.
|, too, could not restrain a charitable i'm
pulse, and, placing small coin in the
itching palm which pleaded for aims, I
turned to my companion as the old man
shambled off, chuckling over his good
luck and jingling the money in his
bony hand. While bestowing our
small aims, [ hastily scanned the old,
greasy paper, which contained these
words, with several iIlegible-scrawled sig
natures at the bottom: ''To whom it may
concern: The bearer is one hundred years
old, worthy of assistance for he is unable
to work.
Here there was genuine centenarian,
| and we did not begrudge what we had
given him. But what a strengthening
being he was? How Unearthly his yisage,
how yellow his complexion. and shrunk-
en- his cheeks; what pleading but lustress-
less eyes, and what a miserable emaciat
ed and drawn up body. A type of man
but infrequently met with. / had seen
him before, and had encountered in the
streets of Columbia occasionally men
and women not unlike him, but had never
imagined that he was more than IS or 20
years old. The eyes of my medical friend
followed the retreating form and the dry
~ remarked: do you know that he is
a genuine clay eater?"
"a what?" exclaimed I.
'Why, man that lives on clay-one
whose principal ailment is kaolin, or
kind of smooth, gritless, moist clay, that
abOunds in all sandhill regions"
''Now, surely you don't expect me to
swallow that statement any more than l
would expect that man to swallow COB
or mud"
"Why, most assuredly do,'' said he
talking about.'
But, you don't think I'm so gullible as
to believe that this man, who is over 100
years old, has been blessed with this re-
markable longevity because he ate taste
less clay!'
'It is strange, yet it is true. I have
made study of the question, and have,
during my Investigations, witnessed some
striking revelations. Now, to begin with,
I have seen sandhillers' in certain parts
Of North and South Carolina and some
within ten miles of Columbia, while en-
gagged in eating their dinner and have
observed them consume, with evident rel
ish, large quantities Of clay; and what's
more, have Joined in their frugal repast,
partaken of some of the stuff myself"
''Well, what does it taste like, and how
does it affect one?"
sit is nearly tasteless, but some of the
clay-eating eqicures profess to enjoy it
because of a delicate flavor it possesses.
It is white, devoid of grit, and not I'M
like the kaoIin of which plates and sauc-
ers are made. There is nothing disagree
able about the clay, and it may
be taken into the stomach with
impunity. 1t is not injurious as an
article of diet, indeed many contend
that it insures longevity and wards off
several diseases. There are well authen-
ticated instances of wonderful longevity
among clay EATERS and it is well under
stood by such of the faculty as have stud
led the subject that none of the sand
Killers ever suffer with indigestion Or
dyspepsia, and [ have never known one
to die of consum ption; in fact, folish also
it may seem, am constrained to believe
that this Strange habit exempts clay
eaters from many of the ailments to
which the rest of the human family are
heir. It allays the cravings of hunger by
distending the walls of the stomach. Tt
is not to be expected that a clay diet will
take entirely the place of bread and
meat, but it does this to a certain ex-
! tent.
The doctor paused, and I marveIed at
what he told me.
Continuing, he said:
In my country practice which occa-
slonally carries me out into the sandhills,
occasionally [ say, for, although the sand
Killers are the sickliest looking, most
! cadaverous, and woe begone be-
! ings in the world they are the healthiest.
I have good opportunities to study their
peculiar habits. They can subsist on ex
ceeulngly limited qudnG1GleS VI HtdI--IH
fact they get very little to eat, and that
fat bacon thrice week. They are not
lazy, but decidedly shiftless. They are
troubled with few wants however, and
these are supplied very easily
do they eat only one sort of clay?" I
interrupted.
"As general thing, yes" was the re-
ply, but sometimes their table is gar
nished by a kind of yellowish mari, some
what scarce, which they consume with
keen relish. Ii is said to taste sweet, and
they use it as desert They, however,
draw the line at red clay. This not even
their iron-clad stomachs can digest.
Don't you eat red clay? I asked gaw
ky old fellow. No, surree,' was his ami
mated response, Il have occasionally had
er brick in my hat, but I'll be blamed eff
I hankea after making my bowels brick
yard"
The loquacious young M. D. was pro
ceeding to tell me some other wonderful
things about the "clay eaters" when one
Of his city patients called him off, and he
went away promising to resume his mar