Exactly, and to suppose that an educated, cultured and abnormally hygienic man of Jefferson's stature hung out in the slave quarters to satisfy some middle-aged sexual urge is ridiculous on its face, at least to another educated, cultured, middle-aged hygienic man. J.D. Southmayd _www.southmayd.net_ (http://www.southmayd.net) is my web site. In a message dated 5/15/2008 3:39:03 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Jeffrey -- I am well aware of the appalling hygiene and diseases of slaves in the 18th century, but that is hardly the limit. As I have written elsewhere I think one of the things that brought Franklin and Jefferson together was their personal cleanliness, which was notable in an age when even the wealthy stank. Going to a gathering even of the mighty must have been like sticking one's head in the laundry of a basketball team after the game. Franklin who, to me, is the most interesting of all the Founders was, at one point reputed to be the only man in Philadelphia who bathed daily, and certainly one of the very few who actually had a purpose built bathtub. Slaves, being at the bottom of the social hierarchy naturally got the least, and suffered the most. But disease and death were commonplace whatever one's rank. Just look at the number of 18th century planters who had multiple wives, because so many women died in childbirth. The common state of hygiene in the colonies was far worse, and the medical options less, than would have been found in a comparable setting in the Roman empire. -- Stephan On 15 May 2008, at 13:41, [log in to unmask] wrote: > Stephan; > > I am not sure that you found offensive about my post. Perhaps you > should > read the following on slave hygiene to get a better feel for my > point vis-a-vis > Mr. Jefferson and Ms. Hemmings: > > > The Health of Slaves on Southern Plantations (Louisiana State > University > studies) by William Dosite Postell; and > > > (http://www.amazon.com/This-Species-Property-Culture-Galaxy/dp/ > 0195022459/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210873126&sr=8-31) This > Species of Property: > Slave Life and Culture in the Old South (Galaxy Books) by Leslie > Howard Owens; > and > > > > > Medicine and Slavery: The Diseases and Health Care of Blacks in > Antebellum > Virginia (Blacks in the New World) by Todd L. Savitt. > > > J.D. Southmayd > a/k/a J South > > > > > **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists > on family > favorites at AOL Food. > (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) > > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the > instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html