Medical Journal
The Oregon Trail is full of disease and illness. Cholera is the most common illness, and my best friend just died because of it. Cholera is a diarrhea illness that causes an infection in the intestine. We knew she had Cholera because she had watery diarrhea, leg cramps, and she couldn't hold her food down. Since we are running out of fresh water, we have to start drinking from the river, and the doctor said that she got Cholera from the dirty water. Know, because of my friend I only have water from the gathered rainfall on top of the wagon, or when we reach the top of a river on a mountain. The doctors tried everything they thought would cure her. They bled her with their butchers hand knife, put her in a freezing cold river then rapped her in ice cold towels, and tried to hypnotize her. My friend, Barbara, died only 2 days after the doctors started to treat her. My mom told me that the reason Barbara died was because she was weak, and Cholera was roaming in the air from the sick a few miles away. I know hate the night, because I am afraid I will either get Cholera, Mountain Fever, or the Measles from the dirty air.
The trail is full of death. The further we get, the more people die. The other day I was playing with my friends as we were walking along the trail, and my one friend, Steve, started to tell us a rumor. He said that a few miles back, this kid was running up a wagon ladder, and lost her balance. The girl then fell off the ladder and the big wagon wheel ran right over her head. Steve explained that she looked like one of our broken dolls we had back home.
Another one of me friends, John, told us about another death. John said that a wagon stopped for some rest, and were attacked by some Shynee Indians. The father, as brave as he was, jumped in front of the indians to fight them off. The leader of the Shynee tribe took out a gun a shot the father in the leg. John explained to us that a doctor came right away to help. The doctor first took a slim rood of metal and poked around to find the bullet. Once the doctor felt the bullet, he stuck his dirty hands inside the father, through the wound hole, and slowly pulled the bullet out. The dad died less then 24 hours later.
The weather is getting worse as the hours pass. Doctors are being called everywhere trying to help those that are being pelted by hail, or electrocuted by lightning. To top off the worst weather ever, the rain won't stop! Our friend's wagon broke because the rain was getting to heavy, and the wagon couldn't hold it. I really hope that doesn't happen to our wagon. I am know becoming afraid to walk near the wagon, because when the oxen and horses get mad, they kick and bite, and the rain upset animals. If anyone gets bitten or kicked by an oxen or a horse, they will die right away.
There are limited doctors on the trail, and one came by last night to check everyone out. When the doctor came to my wagon, he told my family that I had Scurvy. Scurvy is caused by an improper diet, so the doctor gave my a diet of only vegetables and fruits. Even though I am staving, I don't want to die, so I am stuck only eating the berries we find, and the frozen vegetables we brought. At least I don't have head and body lice like my sister. She is infected with dozens of 6 legged insects that attached themselves to her scalp and skin. She won't stop itching! My mom is helping her get better by giving her Mercury. She is looking better.
I am very sad today because my sister died. I don't know what happened. Everyone thought the Mercury was really working. The doctors now carry a butchers hand knife, a carpenters handsaw, and a shoemakers awl, because so many people are dying. Doctors are getting so desperate to cure their patients, that they are now shocking the sick. My dad said that no cure will work, because the sick got their illness from God, for doing something bad. Everybody keeps telling me different reasons for why the people I care about are flying, while I think the sick are dirty.
The other day a 4 year old girl was crossing a river with her family, and she fell out of the wagon. The parents could not reach her because she was dragged by the current. Since the rivers are infected with mosquitos, everyone thinks the 4 year old girl will have no chance of living, even if she doesn't drown. Malaria is received when infected mosquitos carry malaria, and then bite you. Once the mosquito bites you, the malaria travels through your body to your liver.