Jeannie Watt

The Miraculous Oxydonor

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How wonderful it would be to have a device that cured every disease!

That is exactly what the Oxydonoor, purported to do. Invented in the 1890s by Dr. Hercules Sanche, and released to the general public in 1896, the Oxydonor consisted of a nickel plated tube containing  a stick of carbon with wires leading from it to electrodes attached to a metal contact pad. The user of the device would put the tube in a bowl of water, attach the metal plate to a wrist or ankle, then lie in bed while the Oxydonor did its work. The colder the water, the more effective the treatment, according to Dr. Sanche.

How did the Oxydonor cure all diseases except for those that were terminal? By forcing oxygen through the skin into the body, of course. People of the era did not understand that oxygen could only enter the body through the lungs.

The device was said to stimulate nerves and increase blood flow as the oxygen levels in the body increased  which, in turn, cured diseases. Dr. Sanche  stated that his device was so effective that it would soon take the place of doctors.

Guess what? It didn’t work.

Guess what else? Dr. Sanche wasn’t really a doctor. He was a businessman who devised a field of medicine called diaduction. He believed that an undercurrent connected all natural organisms, and a disruption of that current created illness. Oxygen, he believed, could restore the disruption of the natural current, thus the Oxydonor. He moved frequently to stay one step ahead of the authorities as the complaints rolled in, but continued to market his device and to warn the general public against imitators.

In 1915 a fraud order was issued against him in New York, and he was sentenced to 18 months in jail. He avoided shutting down operations after that by moving to Montreal Canada, where he continued to market his device until the 1950s.

If you are interested in trying Dr. Sanche’s miracle device, you can pick one up on eBay. There are several listed there.

Christmas Freebie

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Hello and Merry Christmas!

Once upon a time I wrote a two-book series about a pair of rodeo-riding brothers called The Harding Brothers. A few years after these books were released,  I was asked to expand the series. The problem was that I was out of brothers, so I came up with a third, long lost brother and he has become one of my favorite heroes.

The exciting news is that this  book, THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS  will be FREE on Christmas Eve and for a few days after.

Here’s a description of the story:

Christmas in Marietta, Montana, is a season of magic and second chances…

Wayward cowboy Quinn Harding doesn’t have a secret—he is a secret. Or he was until his rancher brothers learned of his existence and insisted on meeting up. But Quinn’s reluctant—he’s always been a lone cowboy, enjoying his quiet isolation and taking pride in his ranch work. He’s not a man who’s ever dreamed of a home or family, but when an accident forces him into temporary employment at a small family ranch, he begins to rethink his life’s choices.

Since losing her husband two years ago during the holidays, Savannah Dunn has dodged people and Christmas, preferring the beauty and solitude of her ranch. But now that she’s playing temporary parent to her twin nieces, she desperately needs to rekindle her holiday spirit and sense of fun for the sake of the girls.

Can she and the quiet, gorgeous ranch hand bring the joy of Christmas to the ranch without either of them losing their hearts?

If you would like to read this story, please mark your calendars for December 24 and check your favorite online book vending site for a free digital copy of THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS. If you enjoy it, please consider reading the other brothers’ stories, CATCH ME COWBOY and RESCUED BY THE COWBOY.

Have a wonderful holiday! I look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year!

Jeannie

Let’s Talk Turkey…and have a Give Away!

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The wild turkey, native to eastern and central USA.

Turkeys are native to North America and there are two species–the wild turkey, which is native to what is now the eastern and central regions of the United States, and the Ocellated turkey which is native to southern Mexico. Surprisingly, the domestic turkeys in the United States probably originated not from our native birds, but from the the Mexican species.

Ocellated turkey, native to Mexico

The Mayans are thought to have domesticated turkeys about 2000 years ago. Symbols of the birds are featured in Mayan manuscripts and chronicles of the Spanish expeditions to the Yucatan describe foods made of turkey. Spanish explorers brought the birds from Mexico to Europe in the early 1500s, where they were very popular with aristocrats. Turkeys arrived in England during the mid-1500s, and when English settlers came to North America, they brought domestic turkeys with them. (I wonder if they were surprised to see that there were already turkeys there.)

Royal Palm Turkey

There were through to be about 10 million wild turkeys in the United States in the 1600s. By the 1930s there were an estimated 30,000 birds. In the mid-20th century, biologists began trapping turkeys from the Ozarks and New York, two of the places that still had wild turkeys, and transplanting them to other areas around the country.

Domestic turkeys were a luxury item until the 1940s when farmers began intensively breeding the birds and the prices dropped. The advent of refrigeration allowed for frozen turkeys, which greatly increased the market as turkeys could now be shipped to other parts of the country.

Broad Breasted White Turkey

Ben Franklin did not suggest that the turkey become our national symbol, however, he was not a fan of the bald eagle. When comparing the two birds, he said, [The turkey is] “a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America…He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage.”

Interestingly, this bird of courage can be aggressive toward humans. I can’t say that I blame them, all things considered. On that note, I have to ask, are you a Thanksgiving turkey fan? Or do you prefer another protein? One randomly drawn respondent will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Henry Starr – Outlaw and Actor

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As you may have guessed from his name, Henry Starr is a relative of Belle Starr, the Outlaw Queen. A nephew, to be exact. Henry was born in 1873 in Oklahoma Territory to George Starr, who was half Cherokee, and Mary Scott Starr, who was one quarter Cherokee. Mary came from an educated, law abiding family. George, not so much. Interestingly, Henry was no fan of Belle, whom he found crude and offensive. He told people they were related only by marriage. He didn’t seem to have a problem with his outlaw uncle Sam Starr, or grandfather Tom Starr.

After his father died, his mother married an abusive man, and Henry left home at the age of thirteen. He worked as a cowboy in rough and rowdy northeast Oklahoma, and despite having only a sixth grade education, was something of an intellectual. His first brush with the law was when he borrowed a wagon that was found to have whiskey in it. He pled guilty to having illegal spirits, but insisted he hadn’t known about the whiskey. His next encounter was law enforcement was when he was falsely accused of stealing a horse. After being bailed out of jail by his cousin, he took to the road, jumping bail. It seems that he decided that if he was going to be accused of crimes, he may as well commit them. He and two other men began robbing stores and train stations shortly thereafter.

Two lawmen managed to hunt down Henry in 1892 on a ranch where Henry was rumored to work. A gunfight ensued and Henry killed a Deputy Marshal and then escaped. Now wanted for murder, Henry and his partners began robbing banks instead of stores. While traveling to California by train, they stopped in Colorado Springs, where law enforcement were finally able to arrest Henry for murder and highway robbery. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang in 1893. His lawyers managed to appeal and the US Supreme Court overturned the decision, giving Henry a second trial. He was once again found guilty and sentenced to hang. His lawyers again appealed and Henry got a third trial, in which he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years.

During his stay in jail, a fellow inmate, Cherokee Bill, attempted a jailbreak with a smuggled gun. A guard was killed in the gunfight that followed. The guards could not disarm Cherokee Bill, so Henry, a friend of Bill, told the guards that he would talk the man into giving up the gun if the guards promised not to kill Bill. The guards agreed and Henry talked Cherokee Bill into giving up his gun. Because of this act, the Cherokee Tribal Government applied for a pardon, and Teddy Roosevelt, who was impressed with Henry’s bravery, reduced the sentence. Henry was released in 1903. After returning to civilian life and working in his mother’s restaurant, he married and had a son, Teddy Roosevelt Starr.

Unfortunately, law enforcement agents from Arkansas still had a bone to pick with Henry regarding a robbery there and demanded extradition in 1904. At that point, Henry went back on the run, formed a new gang and once again began robbing banks. He was captured, convicted and sent back to prison. While in prison,  he studied law and wrote his autobiography Thrilling Events; Life of Henry Starr. He was paroled by the governor in 1913. Once free, he began robbing banks again, chalking up a total of 15 robberies in 1914-1915. He was captured in 1915 and once again went to prison, where he finally came to the conclusion that crime didn’t pay  (even though it have been quite lucrative to him). He began speaking and writing to young people and encouraging them not to follow a life of crime, but to instead earn their money the old fashioned way. He was paroled in 1919 because of his good acts. He then turned to acting, producing and starring in a silent movie called A Debtor to the Law, which drove home the senselessness of crime. The movie was a success and he received an offer to make a Hollywood movie, but turned it down, once again fearing extradition to Arkansas. So what did he do then?

He returned to a life of crime. In 1921 he attempted a bank robbery in Harrison, Arkansas, but was shot in the commission of the crime and later died of his wound. He bragged to doctors on his deathbed that he had robbed more banks than any man in America. Indeed, he had made off with more than $60,000 during his career as a bank robber.

Turpentine as a Medicine–Yes, Really

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When I was in 4-H many years ago, I took a Veterinary Science project. As part of the project, I had to write about the way various equine ailments were treated. I had a great source–or so I thought. It was my great-grandmother’s old veterinary book, published in the late 1800s. I found out that I could cure almost anything by using turpentine, castor oil, pine tar, or kerosene. Sometimes these materials were used externally as wound dressings and at other times mixed with other ingredients for oral treatment. After finishing my paper and giving it to my mom to read, she gently informed me that veterinary science had moved beyond turpentine, pine tar and kerosene. I found a new source in the library and wrote a new paper, but I’ve always been fascinated by the use of turpentine as a medicine.

Turpentine is made from pine trees and has a long history of use as a solvent, paint thinner and water repellent, as well as a medicine. We now know that turpentine should NOT be ingested, as it causes kidney and lung damage, but before the side effects were understood, it was used routinely in medical treatments. Romans used it  to treat depression. Doctors used it both internally and externally throughout history to treat wounds, infections and to kill internal parasites such as tape worms. It was a widely used component in the snake oil treatments sold in medicine shows in the late 1800s, and during Prohibition, turpentine was used to make fake gin. Also, many folk remedies contained turpentine and  when ingested, it will make urine smell like violets.

Turpentine does have some medicinal benefits. It is an antiseptic and it burns enough to make one feel like the germs are indeed being killed. It will help stop heavy bleeding. It is also still an ingredient in Vick’s Vapor-Rub, although it’s listed as an inactive ingredient. (Can you recall the feel  of PJs stuck to your chest as Mom used Vicks to fight cold symptoms? I sure can.)

Do any of you have home remedies that you still use? I don’t use turpentine, but I’m totally onboard with ginger tea and mint tea for nausea, as well as baking soda paste on bee stings.

 

The Virginia City Flour Wars

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Virginia City, Montana is the county seat of the area in which I live–the place where I go to renew my vehicle registrations and vote. Visiting VC is literally like stepping back in time with its wooden sidewalks and historical buildings. As one of the earliest mining areas in Montana the area has a rich and colorful history and today I’m going to tell you about the Virginia City Flour Wars.

Virginia City in January when I went to renew my car registration. Come summer these sidewalks are teeming with visitors.

It began in the winter of 1864 when Virginia City was almost two years old. In September, residents, many of whom were new to the area, were encouraged to stockpile provisions in case of snow blocking the passes during the winter months. At that time flour sold for $26.50 per 98 lb. bag. By December all the passes to Salt Lake City and other destinations were blocked by heavy snow.  Despite being snowed in, the price of flour actually dropped in February 1865, going as low as $22 a bag. In March, however, the passes were still badly drifted in and impossible to traverse, and the residents became concerned about the diminishing store of flour. Prices rose sharply, going up to $47 a bag in March.

As the miners ran out of flour, and merchants continued price gouging, with prices rising to $100 a sack, a group of 438 armed citizens, led by a man on horseback waving an empty flour sack, converged on the town. The group was divided into six patrols, each with a leader, and tasked with searching every home and business and collecting all available flour. People tried various methods to hide their flour, under floors, hidden in barrels beneath other commodities and, in one case, hidden under a haystack. The flour hunters managed to secure 82 sacks of flour which they stored in a building known as Leviathan Hall. The vigilante Flour Committee kept records and promised to pay the owners of the confiscated flour $27-$30 per sack, depending on the source of the flour.

The day after the flour raid, the precious commodity was re-distributed. Each man who affirmed he had no flour could buy up to 18 pounds. More were sold to those with families. As the supply dwindled, the amount a person could buy dropped to ten pounds. Two days after the flour raid, the people from whom the flour was taken were paid in gold for the commodity. A month later, the first supplies of flour arrived in the area and the great flour shortage was over.

 

 

Winter Warmth

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Our winter wood arrived a couple weeks ago, and we’re set for the next two years. The fun thing about this wood delivery was I discovered that I was the logger’s aunt’s junior high science teacher over thirty years ago in a completely different state. How’s that for small world?

My husband likes to take it nice and slow, and cuts three logs a day into rounds. After he cuts for the day, I chuck the rounds away from the log pile so that he can roll down new logs and cut again the next day.

After we get a goodly stack of rounds, we pull out the splitter and split, then stack. After that we haul loads to our basement wood room, which holds over a cord. We replenish often during the winter months.

I really enjoy doing the wood, but I’m cautious about chainsaws. Growing up in logging country, one couldn’t help but respect the machines and all they could do as well as the injuries they can cause. I prefer the splitter, but in today’s post I’m addressing the history of the chainsaw.

The original chainsaw was invented in the 1780s by John Aitken and James Jaffrey, Scottish doctors who used it to aid in childbirth. The machine was used to cut away excess cartilage and bone if the baby got stuck in the birth canal.  In 1830 a German Bernard Heine invented a chainsaw which he called the osteotome (bone cutter).  this was used to remove diseased bone and joints. Eventually, however, the chainsaw was used to cut materials rather than the human body.

In 1883  patents were granted for a Chain Sawing Machine, for cutting boards; and an Endless Chain Saw for cutting redwood trees.

The first portable chainsaw was patented by James Shand, a Canadian.  Then along came Andrea Stihl who patented the first electric portable chainsaw in 1926 and a gas-powered model in 1929.  This is a very abbreviated history, but I thought it was fascinating that one of the most useful tools in the timber industry came from the medical field after almost a 150 years.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go chuck some rounds. 🙂

 

Western Superstitions

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Are you superstitious? I’d like to say I am not, but I do tend to knock wood every now and again. The fascinating things about superstitions is that many of them have a basis in reality. Or perceived reality.

I clearly remember an episode of The Roy Rogers Show where Roy walked under a ladder, and his sidekick, Pat Brady, knew that something was dreadfully wrong because normally Roy would never take such a chance. I have to admit that sixty years later, I still think twice before walking under a ladder, thanks to Roy and Pat Brady. That will probably keep me from being hit with a falling paint can, or the ladder coming down on my head.

A common cowboy superstition is to never, ever, put your hat on a bed. I assumed that it was so that the hat wasn’t accidentally squashed. That said, cowboy hats can generally take quite a beating and a little steam from a tea kettle will put them back in the shape they were once in. I did a little research and found out that head lice were quite prevalent in the old west, and by keeping hats off the bed, the wearer also kept lice from migrating to the blankets.

Iron was thought to repel evil in the Middle Ages. It could withstand fire and therefore was a protective element. Horseshoes are made of iron and therefore hanging a horseshoe could protect a house and those within. Now there is some controversy about which way to hang the horseshoe. In my house, a horse had to have the U pointed down so that the luck didn’t run out. Some people believe the U has to point the other way so that the luck pours out.  Maybe so, but it still bothers me to see a horseshoe pointed the “wrong way”.

Some people believe that if you should never gift a person a knife. If you do it may severe the relationship. To keep that from happening, the recipient must pay at least a penny for the gift.

Rodeo cowboys and cowgirls avoid eating chicken or wearing yellow when competing. Obviously yellow is the color of cowardice and chicken is, well, chicken. Also a rodeo rider doesn’t compete with change in their pocket, because that will be all the money they get that day.

Lastly, never buy used cowboy boots or you’ll be stepping into the owner’s troubles. Stepping in manure is good luck (kind of takes the sting off from having to clean your shoes). A cowboy will oil his boots but won’t clean them because they may lose their luck.

Do you follow any superstitions? I try not to as I said, but I do have “power” socks for bad days and I knock on wood.

 

 

Laura Bullion ~ The Rose of the Wild Bunch

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Laura Bullion mug shot

The year of Laura Bullion’s birth in Knickerbocker, Texas is unknown. She gave several dates ranging from 1873 to 1887 during her lifetime, and researchers have been unable to pin down the exact date.

Knickerbocker, Texas was a haven for outlaws at the time, and her parents, Henry Bullion and Freda Byler, were known criminals. Laura was raised by her maternal grandparents, possibly is an attempt to keep her out of trouble, but that didn’t work out. She met many outlaws through her parents, including train robber Will Carver, who was married to her aunt, and her future lover Ben Kilpatrick, both of whom became members of the Wild Bunch.

Laura eventually ran away to San Antonio, where she found work in a saloon and used the name Della Rose. It was while working at this establishment, frequented by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, that she reestablished relationships with William Carver, who was now a widower, and the Ben Kilpatrick.

Ben Kilpatrick

When Kilpatrick joined the Wild Bunch in 1898, Laura went with him, becoming a working member of the gang. Laura helped in several train robberies, dressed as a man or boy. After the robberies, she helped fence the stolen items and help resupply the camp. No one suspected that the “young man” who’d taken part in the robbery was also the woman purchasing supplies and horses. Eventually the members of the Wild Bunch gave her a new moniker–the Thorny Rose of the Wild Bunch. She was truly one of the gang.

After a train robbery in Montana in 1901 (in which Laura was possibly disguised as a boy), she and Kilpatrick fled east. In November of that year, Pinkerton agents caught up to them. They arrested Kilpatrick, who refused to talk, so they went to his hotel room, where they found Laura heading out the door with a suitcase full of banknotes easily traceable to the train robbery. She and Kilpatrick were arrested and tried separately. Kilpatrick got 15 years in prison; Laura got 5. She was released after serving 3 1/2 years in 1905. Kilpatrick kept in contact with Laura by letter, and was released from prison in 1911. He was arrested shortly thereafter and extradited to Texas to face murder charges. The charges were dropped, but he was killed in a train robbery a year later.

The Wild Bunch. Front row, left to right: Harry Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid; Ben Kilpatrick, the Tall Texan; Robert Leroy Parker, Butch Cassidy. Back row: Will Carver and Harvey Logan, Kid Curry.

Laura disappeared after her release from prison, but resurfaced in Memphis, Tennessee in 1918. She worked as a seamstress and drapery maker. In the 1940s she became an interior designer. Laura Bullion died in 1961 of heart disease. She was the last surviving member of the Wild Bunch–and just think of how many people she sewed for who had no idea that she once robbed trains for a living!