The sun., 1897-06-20
Blue GUM NEGROES.
Tho Evils That Their Bites AFRO supposed to
Cnuse-A Doctor's stntement.

CALHOUN, Ca, June 1o.-Among the numer-
GUS superstitions OF the old plantation days
which still linger IN the South mono Is moro pro-
nounced or more widely difTuscd than the be-
lief in tho fatal effects of the blue tCum Mig
gers bite. In many places can be found white
persons OF intelligence who will tell you that
the bite of negro with blue gums is moro to bc
dreaded than the bite of rattlesnakes and rabid
dogs. 1t is affirmed that his bite is q sure pro-
ducer Of hydrophobia, blood poisoning. and
numerous other terrible ills.
Every few months the Southern newspapers
publish accounts of persons being bitten by
blue gum negroes and the fearful results.
These newspaper accounts tell of children being
bitten by their enraged nurses, or Of men and
boys who arc bitten in fights with negroes, with
the result that hydrophobia, blood poisoning,
or something Of the kind is said always to occur.
Recently physician in Augusta, Ca, who was
treating patient suffering from q bite of this
kind, said he was unable to offer any scientific
explanation Of the blue gum negro's bite, but he
believed 1t was as deadly as that of the most
poisonous reptiles.
1t is said that an Alabama plough hand once be-
came angered at his mule and bit off the end Of Its
ear The mule at once became frantic, and ran
braying through tho woods until 1t fell over
bluff and was killed. Several years ago a man
In middle Georgia was bitten by u blue gum la
borer, and 1t is said that few days later he de-
veloped violent symptoms Of hydrophobia. and
ran about froth hing at the mouth and biting like
q dog until he was overpowered by his neigh
bors and lodged in the county jail. Only a few
weeks ago, In Columbia. s. G., . rcd gum negro
sued blue gum for damages. They had fought.
and the blue gum man had chewed up tho
thumb of the other, who wanted pay for the
mental agony he suffered when he learned that
he had been bitten BY blue gum
There is no scientific reason why the bite of
negro whose gums happen to be covered with
q blue cuticlo should be any more poisonous
than tho bite of a white man whose gums nature
has provided with n covering Of red II Is very
prnhabse that in cases where Inflammation does
follow such bites 1t Is the result Of such condi.
tions as are sometimes known TO produce various
degrees OF blood poisoning from slight wounds
or scratches. But while the bite OF the blue gum
negro may not in reality be any moro harmful
than the bite OF any other human being. tho fact
remains that he Is universally dreaded by both
whites and blacks and by his own class.
II Is impossible TO trace the strange belief to
its origin. II may have been suggested TO the
whites by their early experiences with the
negroes, may have been developed on tho old
plantations by the vaGaries OF the African mind
or, what IL more probable. imported from the
jungies OF the Congo homeland. There is an old
plantation ballad which runs thus:
de blue gum niger. he walk mighty light
CIar de way!
An all de fat 'possums keeps outer is sight,
cl'ar de way fur de blue gum Niger,
He's akin to de frogs at lives in dc brake,
Crar lie way
An is bite heap wuss'n rattcsnako.
Cl'ar do way,
ocl'ar de way fur de blue gum niger,
whn de night win moan froo de sycamore tros.
CrAr de way!
He's ookin' fur yo an iookin' fur me.
Cl'ar de wayi
o cl'ar de way fur de blue gum niger:
He kin make yo' sick wild blink OBJ Is eye,
Clar de wnyi
An e latrs In is sleep whineNer you die,
Cl'ar dc wayl
o ci'ar de way fur de blue gum nisseri