The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1890-09-27
WHO CAN EXPLAIN TT
a Strange Disease on the Little Island at
st. Kilda-Another Story.

St. Kilda-Another Story.
Few portions of the habitable earth
have received more attention during the
past three centuries than the little island
of St. Kilda. which lies off the coast Of
Scotland. No people are so strongly at
tached to their home as the inhabitants
of this lonely place Benevolent persons
In Great Britain have repeatedly offered
to move them all TO Australia or Canada,
and to provide for their wants till they
could get established. They have, how
ever, always declined these propositions.
The climate of the island Is so severe that
it is scarcely endurable. the sea about it Is
SO tempestuous at most times that vessels
cannot approach 1t, while the soil Is so
sterile that 1t will produce little but
grass. potatoes and barley
The people suffer from cold, hunger
and isolation. 1t is also affirmed that
they suffer from the visits of strangers,
even those who come on errands of mercy
All writer's on ct. Kilda affirm that the
arrival of a vessel is Immediately followed
by peculiar sort of influenza which af-
fects Il the people Rev. Aulay Mac
aulay. great grandfather of the distin-
guished historian. wrote a work on st.
kilda. In which he speaks at length of
this strange disease. Martin, who wrote
an account of the island and It's inhabi-
tants nearly two hundred years ago. also
refers to It, In giving evidence before
the crofter commission. the minister of
the island. who Is represented as a gen
tleman of great learning, enumerated the
Strangers Cold as among the principal
Affections of the people. and one for
which there was no relief
DR.. Samnel Johnson. who was much In
terested il the Highlands of Scotland and
The neighborirg islands. endeavored to
dispose OF the Strangers Cold" by means
OF III argument III an essay he wrote
= Low can there be II physical effect with
ant a physical causeg The arrival of o
saipfal OF strangers would kill them, for
II uiie stranger gives them one cold. two
:. .rsliigcrs must give Inem two colds. and
So oa III proportion The logic was ex
eellcus. but Il did not prevent tho poor
people Of St. kilda from suffering from
sevcso cold for eight or ten days after the
arrival Of every vessel A writer in a
recent number of Chambers Journal de-
Jared that the disease actually exists.
aud that it is folly 70 attempt to deny the
fact lie states that there is n mass of
evidence to establish the occurrence of
vessel that cannot bo disposed OF, es
peeially when there is no contradictory
testimony
The same paper states that paroilel to
the St. Kilda case Is found in Tonga and
Sanoa Some affirm that influenza was
unknown throughout Polynesia till white
men came. Ii is also stated. in regard to
a small island on the west coast of Africa.
that lit is singular fact that any vessel
touching there from st. Helena invariably
brings with it disease resembling infu.
enza. The same story Is told about an
island that lies east of New Zealand.
Here al the people Segin to cough almost
8 soon as a vessel lands. The blind
cough, and 80 do infants, though they
have no knowledge of the arrival of
strangers. This influenza Is not like
measles ana smallpox, that one attack
secures immunity. as it recurs when an
other vessel lands
The publication of these statements,
supported by many authorities. in q lead
ing magazine has called out many expires
sions of opinion. All admit that it was
impossible for the inhabitants of an island
near the South Pole to obtain information
from those living on St. Kilda. Some
believe that the natives of several islands
have killed the crews of vessels because
they contracted the influenza from stran-
gers who had previously landed Few
have attempted te solve the mystery It
has lately been the fashion to deny any
phenomena that could not be explained
by natural causes. The old argument of
DR.. Johnson has been employed by many
persons to disprove the existence of many
things. Still thousands are ready to give
evidence of their constant occurrence.
People who believe In things that they
cannot account for are classed as super
stitious. and few are willing TO be thus
designated. Chicago Times.