1893-1894 - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

204 APPENDIX.
I could quote one family. Mr. Stephen Thrower's suffered greatly, his
bill averaging high up, with narrow escape of his sick from death. I had
to interdict the use of well water or to have the same boiled before
marked improvement became noticeable. I pleaded with Mr. Thrower
to get a driven well, and assured him of perfect immunity from future
trouble and expense. He did so, and now, instead of monthly visits and
big bills, I am never called save occasionally in trivial troubles. Again,
Hon. D. P. McEachin's family experienced the same benefit, also the
families of Hon. Ed. Purcell, Mr. T. I. McXeill, ]ilr. Xatt McPhauls, Mr.
Lige Gibson, Mr. J. B. Weatherby, and many others. One noticeable
case few months back : Wife and children and father suffering from
malarial ills near the Cumberland county line, medicines affording but
temporary relief—cases chronic and office patients.
Upon my first visit I
visited his well, and found his water polluted by the nastiness of his
yard, foul in smell, of bitter taste, and milky in color. I called Mr.
Gi-aham's attention to the source of his troubles. He had a driven well
put in use at once, and to-day the sallow, dejected, woe-begone patients are
bright, with buoj-ant spirits, good appetites, clear, healthy skin, under
pure water and precious little physic. I venture the assertion that the
driven wells in Robeson county have saved thousands of dollars and
many lives since their introduction. One case near Fremont, Wayne
county: ]Mr. M. T. Johnson before the driven wells had much malaria;
since the use of water from his driven well no malarial troubles.
I could
give you much personal experience as practising physician of eighteen
years in Eastern North Carolina and this section as to the marked benefit
to health from change to drinking water from driven wells. Facts sustain
your reasoning.
"One more case sustaining your reasoning: At the John Gilchrist
place, in the county of Robeson, occupied in 1889 and 1890 by Mr. Archie
McQueen, wife and seven children, malarial fever of malignant type
prevailed; four of family sick; duration of attacks six to eight weeks;
visits every day; every sanitary measure exercised; water from well
boiled; patients recovered, to be taken again every fall; father not disposed
to have a driven well, and the place finally abandoned. From the
great amount of sickness of this family and the death of a 3Ir. McLeod,
who moved in after the McQueens left, the place was looked upon as a
grave-yard, and a party from South Carolina—one Mr. Quick—beiuir
oflTered the place at a low price, declined to purchase before consulting
me as to the health surroundings. ]Mr. Quick, wife and one child now
occupy the place, and enjoy freedom from malarial troubles by virtue of
the driven well used at my suggestion. So it is all over this section.
Where the driven well is used there is no sickness from malaria."