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116 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
and yet a number of the flock Avere affected by it. Its effects on animals
was known as "trembles," and it was quite customary to see a fat calf,
after sucking, walk a short distance, then begin to tremble, and in a
little while fall down and die. The superstitious believed in witchcraft.
Many people died from this poison, and their remains are buried
at the forks of the roads a short distance east of Bloomingville, with no
monument to tell the story of their lives in the new country to which
they had come full of hope. We understand that the milk sickness is
now believed to be caused by the cattle eating a certain weed.
There were many other forms of sickness prevalent, which together
with the absence of physicians, caused more suffering among the pioneers
than all the other hardships. During the months of August and September,
in every year, bilious and intermittent fever, and ague, prevailed
to a great extent. The change of climate, water and mode of
THE OLD STATE BANK BUILDING AT BLOOMINGVILLE
living, created a general predisposition to disease, and all were affected,
some years more than others, so much so that long afterwards, one year
in particular was referred to as the sickly season. Whole families
would be prostrated at the same time, and not one in the house be able to
give another a glass of water.
A sense of mutual dependence, their solitary mode of life, and perhaps
other causes, produced a friendship and hearty good will for each
other among the early settlers that never exists in the older and more
densely populated settlements. The latch-string was ahvays out, and
the traveler was received with the most cordial Avelcome, and partook
of the best the cabin afforded, generally pretty coarse fare, "Avithout
money and without price." The raising of a building collected most of
the men from a Avide circuit; and if a settler, from sickness or other
cause, Avas unable to ploAA', plant or harvest in season his neighbors
would collect and do his work for him; those living six or eight miles