Ally_Kat
08-16-2005, 03:53 PM
The Blue People of Kentucky
The term "The Blue People of Kentucky (http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/fugate.html)" (image (http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/blueky.html)) refers to the Fugate family, who settled in eastern Kentucky in the early nineteenth century. It is theorized that by pure chance, both Martin Fugate and his bride, Elizabeth Smith, carried the recessive gene for methemoglobinemia (http://www.drkoop.com/ency/93/000562.html), an extremely rare disorder that causes the blood to have an overabundance of methemoglobin (http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4366), the substance in blood that gives it its blue color when deoxygenated. This condition was propagated through inbreeding due to their extremely remote location. Interestingly, the blue people were reportedly healthier and hardier in general than their pinker brethren, seldom visiting doctors and living well into their 80s and 90s.
However, not everyone feels that this scientific theory explains everything; some people (http://www.burlingtonnews.net/bluepeople.html) feel that the blue people are are descended from the Biblical angels that gave guidance to the ancient civilizations of Lemuria (http://www.lemuria.net/) and Atlantis (http://thor.prohosting.com/~starbuck/atlantis.htm).
Whatever the reason, the encroach of civilization has brought the Fugate's valley into the modern world and away from intermarriage, as well as new treatments for methemoglobinemia. "Blue People" births are now very rare, and soon shall be eradicated completely.
The term "The Blue People of Kentucky (http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/fugate.html)" (image (http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/blueky.html)) refers to the Fugate family, who settled in eastern Kentucky in the early nineteenth century. It is theorized that by pure chance, both Martin Fugate and his bride, Elizabeth Smith, carried the recessive gene for methemoglobinemia (http://www.drkoop.com/ency/93/000562.html), an extremely rare disorder that causes the blood to have an overabundance of methemoglobin (http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4366), the substance in blood that gives it its blue color when deoxygenated. This condition was propagated through inbreeding due to their extremely remote location. Interestingly, the blue people were reportedly healthier and hardier in general than their pinker brethren, seldom visiting doctors and living well into their 80s and 90s.
However, not everyone feels that this scientific theory explains everything; some people (http://www.burlingtonnews.net/bluepeople.html) feel that the blue people are are descended from the Biblical angels that gave guidance to the ancient civilizations of Lemuria (http://www.lemuria.net/) and Atlantis (http://thor.prohosting.com/~starbuck/atlantis.htm).
Whatever the reason, the encroach of civilization has brought the Fugate's valley into the modern world and away from intermarriage, as well as new treatments for methemoglobinemia. "Blue People" births are now very rare, and soon shall be eradicated completely.