USA > Indiana > Vigo County > History of Vigo county, Indiana, with biographical selections > Part 63
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B. L. F .- The most important society of laborers in Terre Haute is the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. This was first organized in 1873, at Port Jervis, N. Y. From the small beginning it grew, not rapidly, but steadily, and in 1876 the first grand lodge of the order met in Indianapolis. This then was the general head- quarters for the United States. It was in 1880 removed to Terre Haute, where it is now. Here are the headquarters and main office
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
for the United States, Mexico and Canada. Frank P. Sargeant is grand master and Eugene V. Debs is grand secretary and treasurer. Mr. Debs has a fine office on Main, near Seventh street, and in his employ are eleven persons. Connected and a part of this, what might be called the chief aim of the general order, is the beneficiary department. Every member pays an annual fee of $20, paid quar- terly, and on each death the society pays the family or heirs $1,500, and in all cases of disability from accident or sickness a weekly allowance is made. No other or death assessments are made, the quarterly payment of $5 includes all payments, except $1.50 that are dues to the grand lodge annually. Admission must be pre- ceded by one year's work as fireman. There are over 18,000 mem- bers of the general order. The subordinate lodges in Terre Haute of this order are:
Vigo Lodge No. 16 was established February 27, 1875, with fifteen charter members. Of these there were but three left, namely : Eugene V. Debs, James I. Southard and W. E. Davis; present membership, 100.
Morning Star Lodge No. 66, Switchmen's Mutual Aid Asso- ciation, was organized in 1889. Officers: W. B. Davis, master; J. H. Burg, vice-master; P. J. Curran, recording secretary; John Purden, financial secretary; David H. Vance, treasurer, and P. J. Curran, journal agent; membership, 90.
F. E. Dupell Lodge No. 231, Trainmen's benefit, was organ- ized in the spring of 1889; has a membership of 75, with the following officers: George Andrews, master; Ed. Taylor, secretary ; J. E. Shannon, financial secretary ; J. Kersington, journal agent.
I. O. O. F .- Fort Harrison Lodge No. 157, I. O. O. F., was char- tered January 25, 1855. Charter members: I. P. Windle, A. Nip- pert, F. Nippert, James Baird, J. B. Edmunds, William Patrick, S. K. Allen, John Leach, S. Horbert, M. W. Williams, W. M. Slaugh- ter, John Abbott and A. R. Summers; all are dead except Summers and Slaughter.
First officers: Firman Nippert, N. G .; Asa R. Summers, V. G .; James B. Edmunds, R. S. ; Moses W. Williams, Treas. Trustees: Israel P. Windle, Samuel K. Allen and Soloman Horbert; warden, Will- iam Patrick; conductor, John Leach; O. G., W. P. Bennett; I. G., John Abbott; R. S. N. G., S. K. Allen; L. S. N. G., William Slaugh - ter.
Officers: M. F. Flesher, N. G .; James Brown, V. G .; O. W. Tomlinson, R. S .; J. B. Fuqua, P. S .; Shepherd Watson, Treas. Membership 240.
Prairie City Lodge, Order of Rebekah No. 107, charter dated November 20, 1873. Charter members: M. J. Wheeler, C. A.
38
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Powers, T. A. Milton, William Sheldon, N. H. Bledson, J. T. H. Miller, W. R. Parsons, J. F. Thompson, E. O. Whiteman, W. F. Moeller, E. Bicklehamer, T. B. Carr, P. B. Carr, S. K. Allen, W. Black, S. Cory, W. M. Slaughter, T. W. Watkins, W. M. Barr, C. W. Brown, B. Holmes, J. B. Harris, G. W. Hamilton, A. R. Sum- mers, Joseph W. Brown, R. M. Bryant, Mrs. Harriet Wheeler, Mrs. Mary E. Cory, Mrs. Ruth M. Slaughter, Mrs. Elizabeth E. Power, S. G. McAdams, A. R. Gruber, Mrs. Eliza F. Summers, Mrs. Mattie Moeller, Mrs. E. W. Hamilton.
Officers: Noble grand, Mrs. Bertha Harrold; vice grand, Mrs. Eliza Cliff; recording secretary, Miss Carrie Haberland; financial secretary, Mrs. J. V. Mattox; treasurer, Mrs. D. H. Hausman; mem- bership 165.
Goethe Lodge, No. 382, I. O. O. F .- Charter dated October 2, 1871. Charter members: Emanuel Rothschilds, Nicholas Stein, Peter Miller, Enos Straus, C. M. Hirzel, Herman A. Kirmes, Jr., Philip Schloss, Nicholas Filbeck, F. Scheyptt, Fred Schmidt, Theo- dore Rees, Herman Scherrer, John C. Meyer, Samuel Frank, C. Reichart, Frances Santer, Joseph Rothschilds. Officers: Noble grand, William Heckelsberg; vice-grand, William Esken; permanent recording secretary, Frank Haberland; treasurer, Henry Kniptosh; representatives to Grand Lodge alternate, Abraham Rosenthal and F. Ellenberger.
Vigo Encampment, I. O. O. F., was chartered July 10, 1849. Charter members: J. P. Windele, Robert J. H. Handy, David Run- nion, William A. Wright, Joseph Little, George J. Holman, Willis W. Wright. Officers: A. J. Balch, C. P .; H. E. Davis, S. W .; George Schroeck, J. W .; Herbert Briggs, R. S .; W. E. Young, F. S .; J. T. H. Miller, Treas .; Chief Patriarch, Albert G. Balch, Harry Davis, Sr. W.
Terre Haute Lodge No. 51 .- Officers: John M. White, N. G .; Ed. P. Gilkerson, V. G .; Charles F. Grosjean, R. S .; J. B. Harris, F. S .; Charles Kritenstein, Treas.
Veterans Odd Fellows Association No. 1, was instituted October 24, 1890. James Hook, Pres .; Asa R. Summers, V. P .; C. W. Brown, Sec .; Jacob W. Miller, Treas. James Hook, aged seventy- five; Aaron B. Barton, sixty-nine; Richard Cottom, seventy-four; William E. McLean, fifty-nine; Isaac Ball, sixty-two; C. W. Brown, sixty-seven; William H. Ball, fifty-one; Bazaleel Holmes, fifty-six; Jacob W. Miller, fifty-six ; Cyrus Knapp, fifty-seven; John D. Wil- son, fifty-six; Henry A. Winter, sixty-seven; Richard L. Bale, sixty- three; Asa R. Summers, seventy-six; William M. Slaughter, sixty- one; John B. McCalla, seventy-four; Albert G. Balch, fifty-nine; Thomas B. Carr, seventy-three; John F. Thompson, sixty-two;
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Henry Howton, sixty-one; A. R. Turner, fifty-six; W. H. Griner, fifty; W. R. Eller, sixty-four; L. H. Adamson, sixty-one; Andrew Walker, -; William R. McKeen, sixty ; J. C. Reichert, -.
Canton McKeen, Patriarchs Militant No. 28, was instituted Feb- ruary 11, 1889. Officers: Captain, W. E. Young; lieutenant, John M. White; ensign, George Schroeck; membership 45.
SOCIETIES OUTSIDE OF TERRE HAUTE.
I. O. O F., Comet Lodge No. 615, Centerville .- The post-office is Lewis. It was organized May 7, 1835. Charter members: Dr. L. K. Stock, W. M. Tichenor, John H. Mattox, J. S. Bryan. First officers: W. M. Tichenor, N. G .; J. S. Bryan, V. G .; Dr. L. K. Stock, Sec .; Elizah Criss, Treas. Present officers: D. A. Mahon, N. G .; W. G. Boston, V. G .; W. E. Wood, Sec .; Jesse Stork, P. Sec .; J. N. Woods, T.
The society built their present hall in 1885. The lower part was built, and is the property of Cummins Bros. The present membership is 38.
A. F. & A. M., Vigo Lodge No. 29, Centerville, commenced work under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge, June 5, 1871. The lodge was organized May 29, 1872. Charter members: William T. Payne, A. J. Purcell, Jesse S. Harrold, Thomas J. Scott, John Harris, F. M. Garrett, John R. Bledsoe, James T. Foreman, John Zink, Kenneth W. Self and J. F. Thomas. The first officers were: W. T. Payne, W. M .; Jesse S. Harrold, S. W .; Thomas J. Scott, S. D .; J. T. Foreman, J. W .; A. J. Purcell, Sec. The present officers are: William Gibson, W. M .; Elijah Brock, S. W .; Phil- bert Fry, J. W .; W. T. Payne. Treas .; Dr. Isaac O. Beckwith, Sec. ; Jesse S. Harrold, S. D .; George W. Brown, J. D .; R. P. Ir- win, S. S .; C. C. Gibbons, J. S .; George McGarr, T. The pres- ent membership is thirty-five. The society built their present hall; a part interest in the building was then transferred to W. T. Payne.
G. A. R., Centerville, Gen. Cruft Post No. 284, was organized on January 23, 1884. Charter members: Joseph N. Woods, Simeon Hoopengamer, W. N. Lemon, James Chambers, Jesse K. P. Ste- vens, John Mattox, Munson Gosnell, W. T. Payne, Charles W. Stewart, John Hoffer, Isaac O. Beckwith, Abijah Richey, Richard H. Cochran, James A. Denton, William B. Cochran, William Gib- son, Godentia A. Saunders, William R. Davis, Joseph N. Cham- bers, John Burns, Owen T. Stark, Thomas Lanning, Joseph Asbury, Samuel Woods, Sampson Griffith, John Osborn, Ira A. Dalton, Jesse H. Harold, Maston S. Boston, C. C. Givens. The officers were: Joseph W. Wood, C .; W. S. Brown, Sr. V. C .; W. S.
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Boston, Sr. V. C .; C. C. Givens, Sur .; W. Jeffreys, Chap. ; R. H. Cochran, Q. M .; William Stewart, S. M .; Ransley Walker, P. M. S .; J. O. Beckwith, O. D .; Munson Gosnell, O. G .; J. K. P. Ste- phens, Adjt. The post has erected a monument in Stephens' Grove on which is engraved comrades' names, six of whom are buried there.
A. F. & A. M., Riley Lodge No. 390, Lockport, obtained a dispensation in June, 1868. Their charter is dated May 25, 1869. The charter members were: J. M. Sankey, S. J. W. Forster, S. Hedges, J. A. Gibson, S. K. Bundy, J. M. Hull, I. Lake, Benjamin Deal, W. A. Connelly, William Curry, G. W. Hickson, W. H. Pearcy, T. C. Wilson. First officers: J. M. Sankey, W. M .; S. J. W. Forster, S. W .; Simeon Hedges, J. W .; have numbered as high as 112 mem- bers. The lodge owns the third story in the school building.
A. F. & A. M., Pimento Lodge No. 292, was instituted De- cember 14, 1861; charter dated May 27, 1863. They own the upper floor of the Town House. The organizers and first officers were: John Wiley, W. M. ; William Brown, S. W. ; James Foreman, J. W .; Joseph McGrew, Sec .; M. S. Gunn, Treas .; G. T. Bailey, H. L. Boyll, W. O. Collins, G. F. Hampton, James G. Kester, C. W. Russell, E. Gaskins, J. French, O. P. Boyll, G. F. Dougherty and R. Bennett.
I. O. O. F., Linton Lodge No. 485, was instituted at Pimento, April 10, 1875. The first officers and charter members were: N. Bled- soe, N. G .; V. S. Carr, V. G .; J. S. Bryon, Sec .; J. R. McGrew, A. Eldridge, Thomas Sparks, J. F. Bowler, T. Stout, J. Sparks, W. G. Boston, W. Carr. Odd Fellows' Hall is a large two-story building.
A. F. & A. M., Prairieton Lodge No. 178, was organized in 1871. The charter bears date May 29, 1872. The first members were only the first officers, as follows: Henry Fortune, W. M .; M. S. Gunn, S. W .; James Myers, J. W .; S. S. Henderson, Treas .; G. W. Finney, Sec .; Thomas Robertson, S. D .; G. W. Krusan, J. D .; B. F. Flesher, steward; J. B. Walker, tyler. The society built the third story to the high-school building.
A. O. U. W., Prairieton Lodge No. 16 .-- Charter bears date June 17, 1876. Charter members and officers: Joseph Reynolds, P. W. M .; Sturgis Teley, M. W .; C. D. McPherin, G. F .; George F. Neff, O .; Jacob Woods, R .; Lewis“ Hahn, financier; John Manhart, re- ceiver; William Wiggenton, G .; Levi Dawson, I. W .; W. P. Kramer, O. W., and Ferdman Volkers. The greatest membership was thirty.
G. A. R., Morton Post No. 1, was originally organized May 10, 1879, as Post No. 51, Illinois department. The Indiana depart- ment was organized October 7, 1879, and on same date Morton Post No. 1, Terre Haute. Following department commanders: J. B. Hager, 1879-80; G. W. Miller, Sr. V. C., 1885; H. L. Miller, Jr.
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
V. C., 1883; W. H. Armstrong, Asst. Inspr., 1883; J. Cummins, Asst. Adj .- Gen., 1879; W. H. Armstrong, Member National Council. Past commanders: J. B. Hager, 1879; W. E. McLean, 1880; W. H. Armstrong, 1881; J. W. Haley, 1882; M. C. Rankin. 1883; R. P. Davis, 1884; George W. Miller, 1885; J. F. Murphy, 1886; J. A. Wimer, 1887; J. H. Henderson, 1888; J. F. O'Riley, 1889; W. C. Eichelberger, past commander (transferred). Present officers: C. L. Feltus, C .; George Parmeter. Sr. V. C .; J. Sargent, Jr. V. C .; J. F. O'Riley, Adj .; V. G. Dickout, Q. M. Total muster, 600. Present membership, 225. Four hundred are buried in the ceme- teries about Terre Haute; among others, Maj .- Gen. Cruft, Col. Robert R. Stewart, Maj. James Stewart, Capt. John Blinn.
Woman's Relief Corps .- Terre Haute Woman's Relief Corps was organized by George W. Miller, April 6, 1885. First presi- dent was Mrs. A. L. Rankin, who served in 1885-86; Mrs. Mary Mc- Ilvane, 1887-88; Mrs. Mary Wimer, 1889; Mrs. Mary J. Miller, the president, with Nancy J. Hines, Sr. V. P .; Mrs. Laura Ander- son, Jr. V. P .; Mrs. Dorsey, Sec. ; Miss Ella Wimer, Treas. It was organized with twenty-two members; present membership eighty- eight.
Sons of Veterans .- Terre Haute Post was organized in Septem- ber, 1887, with twenty-four members; now have thirty-two. Offi- cers: Captain, Charles H. Gephart; First lieutenant, ; Sec- ond lieutenant, Harley H. Sargent; chaplain, Walter Haley; First sergeant, George W. Kretenstein; quartermaster sergeant, Paschal Miller; S. of G., John W. Corbin; C. S., Everest Voorhees; musician, John Woodall; C. of G., Harry E. Lewis; C. G., A. E. Owens; P. G., John A. Johnson; trustees: Jerome Perry, Everest Voorhees and Walter A. Haley,
Germania Society-This is one of Terre Haute's flourishing and pleasant institutions, an index to that love of social life and enjoy- ment so characteristic of German life everywhere. The hall is now one of the largest and finest in the State. Germania society was the result of the consolidation of the old-time Mannerchor and Turn Verein societies, which occurred December 14, 1884. First officers: W. W. Statz, Pres .; A. Herz, V. P .; F. Siedentopf, Second V. P .; Emile Bower, Sec. ; Hugo Heyroth, Fin. Sec. ; Louis Duen- weg, Treas. Trustees: H. Hulman, Anton Mayer and Louis Finkbiner. At organization had sixty members; present mem- bership 120. Present officers: Frank F. Peker, Pres .; Fred Probst, V. P .; Henry Meyer, Sec. ; Frank Fisbeck, Treas. The old Mannerchor and Turn Verein hall, on the corner of Ninth and Main streets, was remodeled and added to in 1888, additional grounds were purchased and the capacity of building more than
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doubled, at a cost of over $10,000. The general hall is a splendid room; a dancing room, turnhall, and stage are provided, and gen- eral arrangements where the members and families meet and enjoy . music, dancing, athletics, theatricals and the pleasant social circles for which the German people surpass all nations. All the many German societies are here in one, under the general supervision of the Germania society.
Ancient Order Hibernians .- Vigo county has four divisions : Divisions 1, 2 and 3 are in Terre Haute, Division 4 is at Fontanet. There is a total of 155 members in the county. The order was or- ganized in 1875. First president was P. B. O'Reilly; first county delegate was P. C. Mohan; the present state secretary is John F. O'Reilly.
Division 1 .- President, Patrick Walsh; vice-president, Michael O'Loughlin ; financial secretary, John L. Walsh ; recording secretary, Patrick Sullivan; treasurer, Edward Roach ; sergeant-at-arms, Joseph Prindeville; doorkeeper, Edward Carroll; marshal, C. P. Murphy ; standing committee, William E. Dwyer, Patrick Breen, Daniel Mul- len, Charles Haffey and Harry Keffe.
Divison 2 .- President, Edward O'Neal; vice-president, John McCarthy; recording secretary, John Brophy; financial secretary, John Fagan; treasurer, David Fitzgerald.
Divison 3 .- President, M. J. O'Connell; vice-president, Edward O'Brien; recording secretary, Thomas Reynolds; financial secertary, M. J. Brophy; sergeant-at-arms, David Dillon; trustees: M. F. Burke, Martin Cassady and James Fox; marshal, Patrick Burns. Patrick O'Leary has been elected county delegate for Division No. 2.
Division 4 ( Fontanet) .- President, James Caveny; vice-presi- dent, Thomas McDonald; recording secretary, James McGow ; finan- cial secretary, John Mclaughlin; treasurer, Dan McKillins.
G. A. R., Leslie Post No. 410, Seelyville, was organized Sep- tember 12, 1885, with twenty members, as follows: Laban H. Dick- erson, P. M. O'Connell, James H. Hamilton, Henry C. Dickerson, Samuel Cheek, Samuel S. Ripley, Joseph H. Scofield, Francis M. Cooper, Nelson Palmer, Allen W. Carter, Moody C. Ripley, Abner S. Gray, John D. Kearschner, William G. Craig, David E. Swalls, William H. Ellis, Samuel E. Coltrin, Silas M. Compton, Henry M. Hyde, Joseph Carmicle.
The post is named in honor of Lieut .- Col. Leslie, of the Fourthi Indiana Cavalry, who fell in a gallant charge on the enemy's battery at Fair Garden, East Tenn., January 27, 1864. Past commanders: Laban H. Dickerson, Samuel S. Ripley, Patrick M. O'Connell. Membership 45. Officers: Albert G. Reed, C .; William Holmes, Sr. V. C .; James A. Cooper, Jr. V. C .; O. N. Hamilton, Adj. ; Jesse
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Artis, Chap .; Nelson Palmer, Q. M .; F. M. Cooper, O. D .; James A. Hamilton, Q. M. S.
Since organization the following deaths in the post: Henry C. Dickerson, Samuel Ripley, Allen W. Carter, Francis M. Cooper; all charter members.
I. O. O. F. at New Goshen .- Officers: S. L. Rhyan, N. G .; C. C. Rhyan, V. G .; A. S. Wood, Rec. Sec .; D. A. Spotts, Per. Sec. ; W. Dyer, Treas.
Literary Society .- This is one of the most interesting associa- tions in the city. It is well established, and every year gives a series of monthly meetings, at which many of our ablest men read carefully prepared papers on some subject they are able to treat in an interesting manner. It is equal to a first-class higher grade of school for all classes and ages.
I. O. R. M .- The Merry Haymakers have a flourishing order, and a hall decorated with calumets, wampum, scalp belts, etc. Their officers are: Past Chief H. C. H. Traquair; C. H., C. M. Gilmore; first A. H., John C. Reiss; overseer, C. N. Murphy; collector of straws, C. L. Feltus; keeper of bundles, J. A. Weimer ; H. B., R. L. Brown; B. D., C. M. Elam, G. of H. L., H. Postleweight; G. of B. D., G. C. Memering; stewards: C. N. Murphy, J. A. Weimer and John C. Reiss.
G. A. R., Charles Cruft Post No. 286, Sandford, was organized in 1887 by George W. Miller. Original members, fifteen ; now twenty- seven. Al Thompson, C .; Jacob Tritts, Sr. V. C .; J. B. Johnson, Jr. V. C .; W. W. Fuqua, Chap .; Dr. T. F. Brown, Adjt. and Q. M.
G. A. R., Topping Post No. 158, Youngstown, was organized in 1883; has an active membership of thirty-two. Samuel M. Cran- dell, C .; O. P. Smith, Sr. V. C .; Samuel T. Jones, Q. M .; W. P. Sandford, Chap .; F. J. Smith, Adjt.
Everest Post, No. 535, New Goshen. Jonathan Ward, C.
G. A. R., Blinn Post No. 85, Prairieton, was organized in 1885; at that time had eighteen members. Henry C. Jones, first commander; Charles Jones, second commander. Present offi- cers: John Reynolds, C .; James Gilbert, Adjt. ; W. Burgett, O. D.
Jacob Hoop's Post, No. 163 .- Macksville.
There are about fifty loan and building associations in the city ; some of these the strongest institutions of the kind in the State; many that have run out series after series, and are constantly re- newing and organizing new ones.
I. O. B. B. No. 110 .- Judge Thorman, Pres. ; Simon Hirschler, Sec.
Order of Chosen Friends No. 14 .- W. C. Rhodes, C. C .; John Hyde, Sec.
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
Terre Haute Council No. 2, R. T. of T., is one of the strong temperance institutions of the place. P. W. Grubb, S. C .; B. E. Lockwood, Sec.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
MEDICAL.
A S early as January 1, 1819, by a law of the State, it was com- manded that there shall be a medical society in this State to be denominated the "State Medical Society of Indiana;" to be com- posed of delegates elected by the district societies, who are hereby authorized to hold such elections, and the delegates so elected, or a majority of them, when met, shall constitute a quorum for the trans- action of business. They were required to meet at the State capitol. The State society had power to district the State for the different district societies. And it was further provided that every person who may hereafter practice medicine in this State, except such as are now resident practitioners of physic and surgery, without having first obtained a license from the State Medical Society, or from one of the district societies, or in the interval, a permit from one of the censors, every person so offending shall forfeit and pay a sum not less than $10, nor more than $20, for the first offense, and for every succeeding offense double the sum as aforesaid, etc.
It has been before referred to that a new country, especially all this northwest, so rich in its deep, dark alluvial soil, was in its early settlements literally scourged with sickness. The plow turning up the mold of thousands of years to the sun and the wind, was the awful Pandora's box of chills and fever, congestive chills, and nearly every form of fevers. At times this besom of death swept over the country, its periods of greatest visitation commencing with the early fall, and in some cases growing into that low form known as the "third- day chills " that were so difficult of cure, and that in some cases ran from year to year. Sallow-faced children with huge "ague-cake " that deformed them and told its own pitiful story, were in many cabins. Then there was the milk-sick; that to the most of the pioneers was a new monster, and they knew nothing of its concealment until it had them in its hideous embrace. This too came with the first frosts in the fall of the year. The cow would contract it from the water or food, none could ever tell which, and to drink her milk or the use
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
of the flesh of a diseased animal was to catch the fearful contagion. It was at one time the rule in the fall of the year, before slaughter- ing a beef, to run it for some time, drive it as hard as possible, in order to see if it was infected. When heated by driving the disease became manifest in animals that apparently, when at rest, were sound. No very great mortality ever came to the people from milk sickness. They soon learned to ward against it. They ate pork and bacon mostly, and learned not to use so much milk and butter. This strange disease was found along certain streams-creeks where the cattle would go for water in the dry falls, and where they would graze after the prairies had become dry and the grasses deadening. In districts where the people would know that the stock would get the disease by leaving the prairies and going to the woods on a certain creek, they would pen their milch cows in the perfect con- fidence that they would be safe. One cow brute could not convey it to another except by drinking the milk of the diseased cow, as in the case of the calf; hence if the cow was diseased her calf might die of it long before the cow showed any symptoms of sickness. A man would suffer for years with the disease and often not know that it was milk-sickness. In some rare cases it would cause death in a few months. When you saw a person with a greenish, cadaverous complexion or skin you did not know whether it was milk-sickness or the common malarial effects of the country and season.
When the boys would be driving the cattle and they would report that a certain one was "trimbling like everything," it was understood that it was a case of true milk-sick. The disease it seems affected the whole internal organs and gave but few outward signs of its presence. It was confined to certain districts, and was contracted only there by the cattle. In one instance on a large cattle farm in Texas, the writer was shown where the spot that was fatal to the cattle had been fenced in in less space than an acre of ground. The ranch contained thousands of acres, and the stock were safe so long as they were kept out of that spot, but in the fall to put a calf in there during a night was certain to cause its death. And yet what is the cause is to-day as much of a mystery as it was a hundred years ago in the first settlement of the country. There is a fireside tradition, too, that there has been a standing offer of a premium of $100,000-still in force, they say-by the French government for the discovery of the cause of milksickness. And investigators and ambitious young men are still discovering it. A few years ago these men who had just fixed it or were just on the point of demonstrating that it was a certain vegeta- ble growth, were as common as the inventors of perpetual motion ; and each discoverer met in the end the same dismal failure. An-
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HISTORY OF VIGO COUNTY.
other characteristic of the disease is that, like the malaria of the early times, it and its terrors have largely passed away with the advancement of the country. Where settlements and even villages were sixty and seventy years ago depopulated by this scourge, peo- ple now live with impunity, and little or nothing is heard of the milk-sick any more. The pioneers knew nothing about it; either how to avoid it, or how to treat it when it caught them. Neither, for that matter, did they at first understand what to do with the malaria that rose up in such fatal and unseen waves all over the
land. They when it was possible sent for the physician, and he had to assume all wisdom-know everything necessary to raise the dead or lose his practice. If he were a man of sense, as was gener- ally the case, he knew that he really understood no more about it than the patient he was called to see. If he was a graduate then he was pretty sure to be handicapped with the precedents of the books- mostly the merest barbarisms couched in ancient jargons, which if fired rapidly at a man in ordinary health might have been warranted to kill or cure, regardless of sex or color. One can readily imagine that in the beginning of the practice of medicine that it was the rule to burn the patients on the principle of purifying by fire. This would not only purify, but it would drive out the disease; in fact, make it too hot for even the seven devils that it was then assumed every one carried concealed about his person. This kind of doc- toring may have been cruel toward the census takers, but it gave a dying man a sure start on the purity line in the Kingdom-come land. But even their burning must have been bungling and a very poor job generally-the thoroughgoing crematory is modern. Their cremating machinery was sadly imperfect-it consisted of bleeding and calomel and jalop in comparatively modern times and in high fevers, no cold water, but toast and elm water that had set in the sun until full of air bubbles, incipient boiling. Another of their rigid rules was never to allow you anything to drink or eat that you most craved, and generally gasping for water, they finally ceased even to gasp for breath, and the fact that they died was the conclusive evidence to the country for miles around of the learning and ability of the attending physician. When a patient got well he was out of order, because he had evidently not given the doctor a fair show ; it was little less than getting into health when sick under false pretenses. To bleed and to salivate was the sole duty of man. That mild and soothing salivation that was the joy and hope of the doctor at one time that knocked out the teeth of every one that it once fixed its clutches upon. Those were glorious salivation times, when there was no play doctoring, but it smacked of business from the start to the finish-dead earnest.
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