The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-06-26
BLEEDER FAMILIES.
a Strange Hereditary Disease
That Puzzles Scientists.
The Marriage OF Afflicted Daugh-
tiers Sometimes Prohibited

One Of the most peculiar diseases
known 70 medical science, writes DIR.
J. +. Whitmyer in the New York
World is called ''tho bleeder disease
or hoemophilia, as It is known to
physicians The history OF this dis
ease dates back to the writings Of an
Arabian physician, who died A. d.
1907 Within recent years many cases
have been reported
A person suffering from this strange
disease is liable TO the most severe and
obstinate hemorrhages. They may
occur without any apparent cause, or
may be the result Of the simplest
wounds. such as the scratch Of a pin OF
the prick Of a needle.
The disease is classod as hereditary,
aud it has even been called 'the most
hereditary Of all hereditary diseases.
A case Of q bleeder family is re-
corded where the predisposition to
this peculiar disease could be traced
back over a period Of 200 years.
The disease is much more common
in males than in females, the ratio be-
ing about thirteen to one. When it
does occur in a female the danger of
fatal hemorrhage is said to be much
less than it is with a man. Although
the disease is, as a rule, transmitted
from one generation to another, there
are cases recorded in which the dispo-
sition to bleed has been gradually lost
in a family.
In many cases death has followed
such simple operations as vaccination,
leeching, blistering and the extraction
of atootb. A person suffering from
this disease is liable to hemorrhage
from the nose, mouth, lungs, stomach
and any part Of the skin. The latter
fact illustrates the source OF the popu-
lar expression, sweating blood" A
Venetian barber is said to have bled
to death from a wound received while
clipping the hairs from his nostrils.
Post-mortem examinations have de-
termined little or nothing as to the
cause of this disease. One observer
called attention to the thinness and
transparency OF the veins and arteries.
Another found that the large blood
vessels were smaller than normal.
Others still have failed to find any of
these peculiaritios in victims of the
bleeders' disease.
Most peculiar Of all is the remark
able way in which this disease is
transmitted In most instances the
disease is handed down by non
bleeder member of bleeder family,
and almost invariably by a female
member.
+. This strange disease is most FREE
quently found in Germany and Great
Britain. North America and France
are next in order.
There is nothing of a distinctive
character in the constitutional con-
dition OF bleeder. Unless suffering
from the effects of q recent hemorrhage
the subject may appear robust and in
the best Of health. A popularity OF
bleeders, although not constant, con
sists in their fine and transparent skin.
The disease usually manifests itself
at an early age, generally during the
first year of life. Bleeders frequently
suffer from general rheumatic pains.
These pains are aggravated by certain
kinds of weather. They are always
more severe during cold and We
weather The changes occur witt
such regularity that the sufferer i
capable OF serving as veritabl
weather prophet.
In some cases the tendency to blee,
disappears for years. This is said t,
occur most frequently in those whC
suffer from rheumatic complications
Only one sure remedy has been triel
to arrest the progress of this strang
disease The marriage Of the daugh
ers Of a "bleeder family" has bee
sometimes prohibited.