Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud

[Guest guest]

This is off topic but interesting.

 

http://news./s/ap/20070405/ap_on_he_me/hatfield_mccoy_secret

 

Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer 1 hour, 18 minutes ago

 

The most infamous feud in American folklore, the long-running battle

between the Hatfields and McCoys, may be partly explained by a rare,

inherited disease that can lead to hair-trigger rage and violent

outbursts.

 

 

 

Dozens of McCoy descendants apparently have the disease, which causes

high blood pressure, racing hearts, severe headaches and too much

adrenaline and other " fight or flight " stress hormones.

 

No one blames the whole feud on this, but doctors say it could help

explain some of the clan's notorious behavior.

 

" This condition can certainly make anybody short-tempered, and if

they are prone because of their personality, it can add fuel to the

fire, " said Dr. Revi Mathew, a Vanderbilt University endocrinologist

treating one of the family members.

 

The Hatfields and McCoys have a storied and deadly history dating to

Civil War times. Their generations of fighting over land, timber

rights and even a pig are the subject of dozens of books, songs and

countless jokes. Unfortunately for Appalachia, the feud is one of its

greatest sources of fame.

 

Several genetic experts have known about the disease plaguing some of

the McCoys for decades, but kept it secret. The Associated Press

learned of it after several family members revealed their history to

Vanderbilt doctors, who are trying to find more McCoy relatives to

warn them of the risk.

 

One doctor who had researched the family for decades called them

the " McC kindred " in a 1998 medical journal article tracing the

disease through four generations.

 

" He said something about us never being able to get insurance " if the

full family name was used, said Rita Reynolds, a Bristol, Tenn.,

woman with the disease. She says she is a McCoy descendant and has

documents from the doctor showing his work on her family.

 

She is speaking up now so distant relatives might realize their risk

and get help before the condition proves fatal, as it did to many of

her ancestors.

 

Back then, " we didn't even know this existed, " she said. " They just

up and died. "

 

(snip)

[Guest guest]

I read this story earlier today and found it rather astounding...my apologies

for offending anyone related, but it sounds like pure unadulterated generational

liver qi stagnation propagated by greed, envy, testosterone, etc. On the other

hand assuming such a gene exists, it could very well be used by apologists to

justify and explain the horrors of chattel slavery in America and the Holocaust.

Kinda like the story a few months ago about 'researchers locating a happiness

gene'. Enough is enough already.

 

My humble two cents......

th

 

victoria_dragon <victoria_dragon wrote:

This is off topic but interesting.

 

http://news./s/ap/20070405/ap_on_he_me/hatfield_mccoy_secret

 

Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer 1 hour, 18 minutes ago

 

The most infamous feud in American folklore, the long-running battle

between the Hatfields and McCoys, may be partly explained by a rare,

inherited disease that can lead to hair-trigger rage and violent

outbursts.

 

Dozens of McCoy descendants apparently have the disease, which causes

high blood pressure, racing hearts, severe headaches and too much

adrenaline and other " fight or flight " stress hormones.

 

No one blames the whole feud on this, but doctors say it could help

explain some of the clan's notorious behavior.

 

" This condition can certainly make anybody short-tempered, and if

they are prone because of their personality, it can add fuel to the

fire, " said Dr. Revi Mathew, a Vanderbilt University endocrinologist

treating one of the family members.

 

The Hatfields and McCoys have a storied and deadly history dating to

Civil War times. Their generations of fighting over land, timber

rights and even a pig are the subject of dozens of books, songs and

countless jokes. Unfortunately for Appalachia, the feud is one of its

greatest sources of fame.

 

Several genetic experts have known about the disease plaguing some of

the McCoys for decades, but kept it secret. The Associated Press

learned of it after several family members revealed their history to

Vanderbilt doctors, who are trying to find more McCoy relatives to

warn them of the risk.

 

One doctor who had researched the family for decades called them

the " McC kindred " in a 1998 medical journal article tracing the

disease through four generations.

 

" He said something about us never being able to get insurance " if the

full family name was used, said Rita Reynolds, a Bristol, Tenn.,

woman with the disease. She says she is a McCoy descendant and has

documents from the doctor showing his work on her family.

 

She is speaking up now so distant relatives might realize their risk

and get help before the condition proves fatal, as it did to many of

her ancestors.

 

Back then, " we didn't even know this existed, " she said. " They just

up and died. "

 

(snip)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Twyla <twylahoodah wrote:

>

> On the other hand assuming such a gene exists, it could very well be

used by apologists to justify and explain the horrors of chattel

slavery in America and the Holocaust.

 

Excellent point.