The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-11
CLAY EATERS OF CAROLINA.
A Physicisn's Study of Peculiar Vice.
Surprising Discovery.


A short time ago DR.. Frank II Getchell
Phnadelpha. went on cunning expedi
ton to North Carolina. His quest OF
game led him into the wild country back
OF Salisbury. which is inhabited, for the
most part. by miserable race OF beings,
with only Just enough energy to exc out
a wretched existence. These creatures
are nearly all veritable living skeletons
and, with few exceptions. are addicted to
the habit Of clay Getting. While shooting
wild turkeys and other game In this wild
region. Dr. Getchell made an Incidental
study Of this peculiar habit or vice among
the inhabitants.
1t is mountainous country, and In the
spring little rivulets start out from the
caps of snow on the mountain, and as the
days grow warmer. the little rivulets be
come torrents, and great washouts are
made along the mountain side The soil
!, Of 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 accumulates in heaps in the val
ley These little pellets and rolls are
what the clay eaters devour with as much
svidity as topper swallows glass OF
whisky.
Among the poor people Of this sec
tion." said Dr. Getchell, "the habit OF
eating clay il almost universal Even
and the appetite increases with time.
While investigating the matter, 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 aud
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 he went out to the clay, and
he refused TO do so. The woman con
fessed that she ate the clay herself, but
explained that the child S health demanded
that 1t cat 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 n sort Of reddish hue
"All of the clay eaters were excessively
lazy and indolent, and oil of these condi-
tions combined led me to the conclusion
that there must be some sedative or slim
ulating qualities, or both, in the clay, and
| determined to find out whether there
was or not 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 clay
contains arsenic, but exactly in what pro
portion we have not yet discovered
Arsenic eating Is common in many parts
Of the world. and is practiced 10 a greater
or less extent throughout the world. 1t
acts as a sedative and also as stimulant.
The mountaineer5 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 perfectly reasonable one. as arsenic
acts as a sedatiye to the hearts action.
1t has been shown that arsenic or arsen-
ical fumes are sure cure for intermit-
tent fever. The inhabitants of a section
of Cornwall. England, at one time suf-
fsred with this type of fever, but when
the copper works were established there
the fever disappeared. This was ac-
counted for by the arsenical fumes Gre
ated in the treatment of copper. AS to
whether arsenic eating shortens life am
not prepared to say. but intend investi-
eating the matter thoroughly. The Clay
Worker