The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-09
THE BlJE.GLASS CRAZE.

THE 5LJE.GLASS CRAZE.
Elixir Recalls One q
the Funniest Medical ExcitementA
In 1876 General Pleasanton published
. work fully explaining his theory as
to the infallibility Of blue glass for in
and retaining or restoring
health. In a subsequent edition he
added list OF testimonials from CRATE
full patients who professed to have de-
rived immense benefits from the treat
ment, and also the full text OF the
specification for his patients His
book was entitled "Blue Ray OF the
Sunlight and of the Blue Color OF the
Sky in Developing Animal and Vege-
table Life. in Arresting Disease, and
in Restoring Health in Acute and
Chronic Diseases in Human and Domes.
tic Animals The General adorned
the frontispiece with rather unfort-
innate quotation: IF this theory be
true it upsets all other theories. The
converse seems to have been very
satisfactorily established. A full
record of the Generals military ex-
perience is also given, apparently as
somewhat of a guaranty of good faith.
The authors first experiments were
on grape vines. In his greenhouse he
substituted blue for white glass in
every eighth row and succeeded in
producing grapes so fine that all Others
were rendered insignificant beside
them. In 1869 he treated some hogs
to similar dose and some little pigs
grew and thrived so well that a royal
road to a fortune in hog-raising seemed
to have been found. Next he tried the
effect of blue glass on an Attorney
bull calf, which grew six inches almost
as by miracle and became a veritable
Saul among the little calves on the
estate. From hogs and cattle the de-
scent to poultry was short and easy.
and chicken-house wass fitted with
just the right proportion OF blue glass.
The result was as foreordained. The
young chicks were ready for the
boiler almost as soon as they emerged
from the shell, and those that escaped
the usual and proper spring-chicken
route to oblivion grew into splendidly
developed and plumaged birds.
1t needed not implicit belief in Oar.
winism to induce the General to APP
ply his experiments to men and
women. Architects would be required
to so arrange buildings as to insure
the introduction of the elixir-like rays
so that the owners and occupiers
might enjoy the marvellous advantages,
and mankind will then not only be
able to live fast, but can live long and
also live WE'LL"
Judged by, the fact that the blue
glass craze, general as it was during
the years 1876 and part of 1877, died
out quietly and has long since been
decently inferred, some of the testi.
monials as to its efficacy form very
funny reading. They show that if all
the writer's meant what they wrote
General Pleasanton invented ar
elixir to cure not only every
ailment but to supersede sur
gerry and obstetrics. In fact it mus
have been omnipotent A man with
varicose veins was able to throw away
his silk stockings after sleeping in q
room a few nights with blue glass ir
the windows. Typhoid patients, attel
day or two, arose like giants re-
freshed and dismissed their ply
sicians. A bald-headed lady was de
lighted to discover an embryo crop o
hair after seven days treatment
while another grateful recipient en-
larged on the marvellous effects of blu,
glass on his ancient mule. This once
gay and festive quadruped had beer
deaf for ten years, its limbs wer,
stiff, and it was in very bad way
but after blue glass was inserted il
the stable window Jack braced up
could hear the word ''Oats" If onl,
whispered. could kick its owner across
the yard, and generally acted like ;
vivacious three-year-old.
Excitement ran high and the Graz
travelled north. south, east and west
The widest stories Of cures were cir
culated. Men heard of objects of pub
lie sympathy getting cured almos
without money and without price ant
entirely without trouble, for neve
was there 80 passive treatmen
recommended, nor one less hamperet
with directions as to what should ant
should not be eaten and what habits O
vices should be abandoned. The de
mand for blue glass was such as tn
most ardent enthusiast never antici
pated. 1t gradually and finall,
dawned upon the credulous public tina
they had made themselves ridicu
lous. blue glass became a drug Of
the market, and the people VIII,
were sick or wanted to groy
young again looked elsewhere TO
remedies and elixirs. ST. Louis Globe
Democrat.
\
The Value of Skeletons.