Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1917-11-15
MlLK.SlCK DESCRIBED
BY INDIAN AUTHORITY

That the disease called "milk-sick, "
which has resulted in three deaths in
Sequatchie in one week with fourth,
Mrs Motley, in a serious condition ia
not a new affection to humanity il evil
denced from the fact that the Indians
we're acquainted with the disease.
Henry Jones, OF this city, an old resi-,
dent, and man of abundant informa-
ton regarding the history OF this sec
ton, has in his possession treasured
volume which, judging from its appear
ance was printed somewhere about 1926,
thus making it nearly 100 years old. 1t
is book long since out of print, and of
which only few scattered copies re-
main. 1t is Foreman's "Indian Guide
to Health !" and is a most valuable work,
giving clear and explicit directions re-
garding the treatment of diseases and
also containing dissertations on the
medical plants OF the country. The In
dian names for diseases and herbs are
given therein. Unfortunately the title
pages and the tbirty-four frst pages OF
the work have been lost from tho front,
and number are missing from the rear
of the book. The number of missing
pages is not known. Another name for
the work is ''The Cherokee Physician"
On page 1879 there is treatise on
"Milk-sick," for which the Indian name
Is Oo-muh-ty- tlah-e-stee, and the
following is what it says:
I'm many parts of the Western coun-
try, the Inhabitants are subject to this
dreadful and often fatal malady.
Some suppose that the poison is impart-
ed to the milk by some poisonous vege-
table, which was eaten by the cattle
Others contend, that it is occasioned by
the vapours which arise from poisonous
minerals IN the earth and settle on the
vegetables eaten by the cattle. This
last opinion is strongly and ably advo-
Gated by DR.. Shelton, which ! will give
in his own words, for the satisfaction Of
the reader. He says, This malady is
caused by the vapours which arise from
poisonous minerals in the earth, and
settle on the grass and other vegetables
that the cattle eat, This fact is clearly
proven by many circumstances. First
by the very appearance of the water,
and the rocks, particularly lower parts
of Indiana, and other sections Of the
country where it is very prevalent.
Second, the very dogs are affected with
1t from using the water. Third, it sell
dom makes i is attack till in the summer
or fall, after the waters are very low,
at which time we know they contain
the greatest proportion Of mineral or
other impure substances; also, the vege- |
table substa at this time become |
tough and contain much less juice in |
prop rtion to the vapour that settles |
upon them. Fourth, if it had been a |
vegetable which produced the milk-sick,
it would have been found long ago; for
to my own knowledge it has been dill
gently searched for in many places, by
numerous people and not found. Fifth,
the scope Of land on which 1T is taken
10y the cattle, has frequently been found
to be very small, and by enclosing it so
that they could not get in, the maiady
was prevented, In this case, if it had
been "a vegetable of any kind, its growth
certainly would have extended over the
enclosure in thirty or forty years; for
am acquainted with place in East
Tennessee of nearly that age sixth
proof is, that you may let the place re
main unenclosed and the cattle will al
ways be liable to tie complaint as long
as there is vegetable matter enough of
any kind to induce tham to feed on it,"
Both people and cattle may have had
the poison in the M for weeks and even
months before they show it. But when
ever they are overheated it makes an
except on cows which give milk,
they seldom die with it, or suffer much
from is effects, the poison being carried
off in the milk. People take it from
using the milk of cows which are affect
I'D with it.
The DR.. Shelton alluded to above is q
medical authority who lived in Indiana
about the beginning OF the past centu-
y.
Foreman then goes on and gives the