The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-11-29
CLAY EATERS OF CAROLINA.
A Physicians Study of Peculiar vics
A Surprising Discovery.

A Physicians Study of O Peculiar vSco.
A Surprising Discovery.
A short time ago DR. Frank Fl. Getchell,
Philadelphia 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 eating. 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 a mountainous country, and in tho
spring little rivulets start out from the
caps OF snow on the mountain, and as the
days grow warmer. tho little rivulets be-
come torrents. and great washouts are
made along the mountain side. The soil
Is of q 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 vel
ley These little pellets and rolls are
what the clay eaters devour with as much
| avidity as topper swallows a glass of
| whisky
Among the poor people of tl,is sec
ton" said DR. Getchell, the habit of
| eating clay Is almost universal. Even
| little toddlers are confirmed in the habit.
| 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 a 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 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 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
fesh seemed to be pulled out. This was
particularly noticeable about the eyes.
| which had = sort Of reddish hue.
| IAN Of the clay caters were excessively
lazy and indolent, and all of these condi-
| tons 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 whethe there
was or not. consequently brought lot
of the clay home with me. aud Professor
Tieruan 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 to greater
! or less extent throughout the world 1t
acts as 4 sedative and also as q stimulaut.
| Tho mounta;nee-s of Syria, Austria, are
haJitu"l arsenic eaters They give as
their reason for eating it that they are
better 3Dlo to climb the mountains after
e.tillg the poison. and their explanation
| is q perfectly reasonable one. as arsenic
| acts IS Il SeUative to the hearts action
| It has Hoen shown that arsenic or ARISEN
zeal tu0ies are a sure cure for interniit
| tent fever Tho inhabitants of section
of Cornwall, England. at one time suf
fered with this type of fever. but when
| the copper works were established there
the fever disappeared This was &C
counted for by the arsenical fumes crs
atcd il 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