OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Lindsay Journal #3, PART 5
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January 8, 1999
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Continued


     The next day, which was about the 21st. Jany. he traveled 12 or 13 miles
from St. Martinsville up the river, or rather a few miles out from the River.
and when almost his days travel was over, he for want of a Log, or foot hedge
was reduced to the n(e)cesity of wading the stream called     the Cadron, which
was very cold, and quite an unpleasant matter to our traveler.  The intense
coldness of the stream seemed to chill him to the very heart.  This night our
friend put up with a Mr. Ward by the by a clever man, and considerably the
largest man he had seen in the Arks. his weight was about 320. The next
night, which must have been the 22d. he reached about 16 miles. here he as
usual called for a foot bath, after making use of it, he opened his toes, for
all were dreadfully blistered, the serous discharge driped on the hearth,
making a little puddle of the fluid. his host remarked that "he had seem many
cases of blistered feet, but had never seen such an aggravavated (sic) one as
this before."  He was now within 7 miles of the vilage of Ozark which by the
way of the River is about 40 or 45 miles of vanburen.  The vilage of Ozark
will in all probability some day be a place of some importence particularly
should the State, as is contemplated, make a Turnpke road from this point to
Fayettville, distant about 55 miles.--This morning being sunday, which
traveling over a ridge of Mountain, on his way to vilage of Ozark. the scab
fell off from he Eye which he was very willing to part with.  This vesicle
owing to the circumstance of our friend picking it before he suspectd its
character, and previous to having access to a miror where he could examine
it. & while he supposed it was nothing more than a stie by this means he let
out the serous collection at an early period, consequently it never filled
well. but the scab was well formed & full.  This day he traveled 19 miles.
and was pleasantly entertained with a family who had emigrated from northern
Missouri.  On Monday he dined with Dr. Williams at Mulberry where the county
court, of Vanburen County, was then organising.  Dr. Williams is by birth a
Welshman, is said to have been some years an enlisted soldier of the regular
stationed some part of the time at Natatosh or Nachogdoches, and also some
time at Fort Gibson, his wife is said to have washed for the armey or the
soldiers in garrison, and the Dr. is said to have obtained what knowledge he
has of medicine by nursing and assisting the surgeon & the surgeons mate.--Be
this as it may, he stands unrivaled in the confidence of the people in the
bounds of his ride which embraces a circuit of many miles.  The Dr. has one
of the finest Farms he saw in Arks. & has it cultivated by slaves. thus the
dr. himself is quite industrious.  On Tuesday night our friend reached
Vanburen, on Wednesday night he visited Fort Smith & remained all night with
Capt. W. Duvall, merchant. and trader.  He informed our friend that he was
personally acquainted with the celebrated Indian, Guess, who, from the
circumstance of his forming (having formed) an alphabet to the Cherokee
Language, is entitled to the respect and honours of Cadmus, and should be
styled the Indian Cadmus.

     The produce trade in which our friend had embarked in made it necessary
that he should visit Fayetteville. which is next to Little Rock the seat of
government, the best town he saw in the Arks.  Here our friend spent some
weeks. and until he had fully regained his health. about the time he
commenced his pedestrian excursion, the lips became sore, and a scably
ulceration formed on the lower lip, which formed quite a large incrustation.
and it was some two weeks, after the varioloid scab desquamet; before this
scab of the lower lip fell off and his ulcerated lips well. and I learned
subsequently, that some of the inmates of the house of Major Burnside at
whose house he put up were rather suspecious tha there was some risk in
associating with our traveler, from the ulcerated situation of his lips. 
When it was understood that he had been accused of having small Pox on the
river.  However he left in that place many good friends, the recollection of
whom, on account of the civilities & kind offices received, will ever be
cherished with feelins of much respect & esteem by our unfortunate
adventurer.

     Before we close this article, it should be recorded that two indivuals,
officers on board the Tecumseh, viz. Mr. Galloway the clerk, and Mr. Wyatt
Pilot, on returning to little Rock took the small Pox and died.  Several
others took the disease belonging to the boat, I mean of the crue, after the
boat returned, all of whom, it is believed recoverd.  Of the passengers it is
believed all escaped the small Pox.  However, there were but few passengers,
and it is believed they were all vaccinated.  the few that were on board were
very careful not to expose themselves where it was thought they would be
endangered to the contagion

     one of the passengers, who had freight on board it was said had a slight
attack of varioloid.

     It was before stated that our adventurer was vaccinated; this was done
when he was about 10 years old, it had been some 23 or 33 years previous. and ot
done by a Physician.  But he had confidence in the gunuineness of the
process. having once before some years previous been exposed to the contagion
of small Pox, having attended to an accouchment where there were 4 or 5 down
with the disease, children or step children of the Female on whoem he was
waiting.  A young woman of the number while he was at the house had been brot
into the same roomfor his examination, who at the time, the PUstles were
white shining and full of matter.  and the Infant, to which was then given
birth, died in about two weeks subsequently with small Pox.

     This was the test, and ordeal of exposure, which gave him confidence in
the gunuineness and validity of his early vaccination.  And was this test, which
encouraged him to hazard the consequence of taking the responsibility of
PHysician & nurse to Capt. Gunter of the Steamboat Tecomseh

Having finished the narative of the foregoing case so far as our friend is
particularly the subject of it, or so far as his case of varioloid required
any investigation, It would probably be as well to avow the fact to the
reader that this adventurer and hero of the foregoing narative was no other
than the writer himself.  The reasons, which induced the writer to speak of
himself in the third person was to avoid egotism, and if occasion require
that he might be relieved from that delicate restraint which the writer must
feel should he ever wish to read it himself for the amusement of a friend.

     Perhaps it would not be out of place to remark here that it was
reluctently that the officers on board the Tecumseh were forced to admit that his case
was small Pox.  This was no doubt a metter of polacy to save the reputation
of the boat, & for the sake of keeping up business.  even when gunter died it
was a matter of doubt apparently with some of them.  The Clerk Mr. Galloway
professed not to believe the case small Pox. but it so turned out that he was
the next to fall a victim to the disease, during the sickness of Gunter a day
or two before his death Mrs. Gunter admited to the writer of this article
that among some Indians who had been some time encamped at Webbers Falls
(where it was before observed was the residence and trading House of Mr. G.)
the Small Pox was found to exist. had been attended by some cases of
fatality, and that Mr. Gunter had been exposed to the contagion a short time
previous to the Boat leaving for Vixburg.  So this accounts sufficinely so
far as necessary to be known for the manner in which the small Pox was
induced in Capt. G's case.  The writer does not recollect posatively whether
vaccination has been ever attempted on him or not.  But it seems to be his
impression that Gunter informed him or perhaps his wife, that he once had
what passed for vaccination.

     The writer of this article has called his own case varioloid, perhaps it
was what is denominated the nursing Pox.  or a modification of variola or small
Pox still more modifyed and milder than varioloid.  And if it be admited that
varioloid is contagious. this view of his own case would appear to more
plausable, when the fact is known that there was no case produced from his,
so far as he has any knowledge.  During 6 or 7 days stay at the residence of
the families, on the Arks. River where the detention, as already detailed,
was owing to the Tecumseh putting back to L. Rock, & the want of efficient
depth of water to get up the River, then would have been a favorable time to
have commumicated the disease if contagious. Many of the neighborhood called
on him. some for trade & the purchse of Flour & other produce, and there were
children in both Families who had not been vaccinated.
Mr. 15. 1839
Richmond Ia.          W. Lindsay


To be continued

Helen, Sacramento
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