The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-13
Specimens of Earth Natives Relish
Are Found to Be Free
From Bacteria.
IRON AND SODA ASSIMILATED.
Table Clay Widely Sold in Tropics
and the Practice in Guatemala
Is Allied With Relig-
ious Superstition.

Chemists Of Copenhagen have Just been
analyzing two specimens OF the earth that
Is eatan by natives in a district on the
Upper Congo River. One specimen. of the
color o. yellow ochrc and easily reduced TO
a fine powder between the fingers. con-
tain:d s!licic acid. oxide OF aluminium. soda.
traces Of iron and 4 small quantity OF or
ganic matter.
The second specimen. gray in color and
resembling ordinary clay was composed CT
materials much like those in the other, ex-
cept that it contained no soda and more
organic matter. Grains of fine sand were
found IN the yellow. hut not In the gray
specimens.
A search for bacteria gave no results.
Only the iron and the soda could be assimi-
lated by the eaters of these substances. The
yellow earth came from the coffee planta-
lions at Bansala. but the origin of the gray
earth is not known. Not few OF the Congo
tribes eat considerable quantities OF earth.
The habit Of earth-eatinS prevails in most
tropical lands and is particularly wide
spread among the blacks OF Africa and the
natives Of the East Indies. Where It &C.
ours among. civilized nations It is regarded
as symptom Of a Initiated appetite.
Humboldt studied the practice among the
aboriSines of America. 1t is occasionally
observed In Europe. Lesh says that Ger
man auaIrymen spread clay on slices of
bread and eat 1t with evident relish: also
that among the barbarous peoples women
are especially addicted to the habit Of eat
ing clay.
The practice In Guatemala is allied with
religious superstition. During some OF the
religious ceremonies the faithful devour
statuettes made Of clay. In Persia a GER
and an epicurean relish.
In the Malay Archipelago ampoh earth Is
spread in China, New Caledonia and New
Guinea. Those who are habitually ad-
dictol 20 it are said to be more liable than
others to consumption. inflammation OF the
The testimony of many travellers in the
Orient Is that the yellow races are es-
pecially addicted to the harmful practice.
In Java and Sumatra the clay used under
goes a preliminary preparation for con-
sumption.
According to Mr.. Hekmeyer.. who is
drugs throughout the Dutch East Indies.
the clay is mixed with water to reduce t
to paste and the sand and other hard
substances are removed. The clay is then
formed into small cakes or tablets about
as thick as lead pencil and baked in
an iron saucepan. When the tablet emerges
from this process it resembles piece Of
dried pork.
Tho japanese frequently eat small fig
ures roughly modelled from clay which
resembles animals or little men turned out
most in favor in China for eating pur-
poses is white clay containing minute
bits of silica, but without organic remains.
The Annamese consider the sticky and sa-
yoriess earth which they eat as a great
delicacy.
1t may be said. on the whole. that there
is no nutritive principle In any appre-
ciable quantity in the indigestible earth
cakes consumed by Asian or other earth
eaters
Once in a while a clay-eater turns up
among the negroes of the Southern States
Three years ago scrub woman employed
in the Capitol at Atlanta, was taken to
the Police Court on the charge OF devour-
Ing some of the finest specimens or kaolln
on exhibition in the State Geological De-
partment
The geologist discovered one day the
imprint OF teeth on some Of the speci-
ments. and five blocks Of clay which were
particularly valued because OF their puri-
ty. were missing. The colored scrub wom-
an was caught with traces OF the clay still
on her lips. and she produced a small box
in which she was outstanding all of it that
she had not consumed. 1t was found that
she had been INDUCING her strange appe-
tite for considerable time.