SF Sketchfest Live Show Announcement

• First live show in 2 years at SF Sketchfest
• Friday January 21st, 7:30 PM at Sydney Goldstein theater
• Tickets at sfsketchfest.com or cityboxoffice.com
• Vaccinated only, masking required show

Sources and Research

• Dave Roos article from How Stuff Works
• Mallory Pickett article from Wired
• BBC News, ABC News, NPR Morning Edition
• National Library of Medicine (US)
• jamaicahospital.org (Jamaica Queens)

The Blue Fugate Family of Kentucky

• Martin Fugate arrived from France to Kentucky in 1820
  • Orphan, didn't know family medical history
  • Settled in Blue Hills of Kentucky (ironic)
  • Married Elizabeth Smith (red-headed American with translucent pale skin)
• Settled at Troublesome Creek near Hazard County
• Rare genetic mutation odds:
  • 1 in 100,000 chance of having mutation
  • With inbreeding: drops to 1 in 8 chance
• 4 of 7 children born blue (described as "dark blue")
• Family became isolated due to embarrassment
  • Lived in remote Appalachian area
  • Further isolated themselves from neighbors
  • Led to inbreeding: sons married aunts, cousins married cousins
• Created regional population of blue families through generations

Methemoglobinemia - The Medical Condition

• Blood disorder, not skin condition
• Normal blood is red due to hemoglobin with iron atoms that bind oxygen
• Body also produces methemoglobins:
  • Same as hemoglobin but with oxidized/rusted iron
  • Missing electron needed to bind oxygen
  • Useless for oxygen transport
• Causes blue blood when methemoglobins accumulate
• Only 1% methemoglobins needed to turn skin blue
• 99% still normal hemoglobin, so no health issues
• Body produces enzyme to convert methemoglobins back: reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide cytochrome B5 reductase
• Fugates had genetic mutation reducing this enzyme production

Dr. Madison Cawein's Discovery and Treatment

• Hematologist at University of Kentucky
• Grandson of famous Kentucky poet
• Personal tragedy: wife poisoned/murdered in 1960s (unsolved cold case)
• Obsessed with finding blue people
  • Initially chased them in woods
  • Moved to Hazard County, asked at clinics
  • Found nurse who treated blue patient
  • Met Patrick and Rachel Ritchie siblings
• Discovered methylene blue treatment:
  • Already used for tissue staining and malaria treatment
  • Boosts the converting enzyme
  • Injected Ritchie kids - turned normal color in minutes
  • Quote: "They were bluer than hell"
• Treatment now available as daily pill
• Effect temporary - must take daily or return to blue

Current Status of Blue Fugates

• Younger generations moved away from Hazard County
• Stopped inbreeding, reduced blue births
• As of 2012: one person still chose to remain blue
• Today: likely no remaining blue Fugates
• Some may choose to stay blue as family pride

Argyria - Silver-Induced Blue Skin

• Caused by excess silver ions in body
• Famous case: Paul Karason ("Papa Smurf")
  • Drank 10oz colloidal silver daily
  • Also rubbed on face
  • Turned completely blue including mucous membranes
• Other cases:
  • Stan Jones (Montana Libertarian politician) - Y2K preparation
  • Rosemary Jacobs (Brooklyn teacher) - childhood silver nasal drops
• Irreversible condition - no treatment to remove excess silver
• Body normally excretes small amounts of silver
• Overwhelmed excretion leads to tissue buildup

Historical Use of Silver

• Ancient use: Pliny the Elder, Cyrus the Great
• Medieval monks used silver nitrate for ulcers/burns
• Early antibiotic before modern medicine
• Mechanism: penetrates bacterial membranes, disrupts enzymes
• Leaves human cells alone, attacks bacteria specifically
• Modern uses: wound dressings, sutures, artificial joints
• Babies received silver nitrate eye drops until 1960s
• Discontinued due to eye damage and skin burns

Colloidal Silver as Supplement

• 1999: FDA banned advertising as medicine
• Moved to supplement category
• No peer-reviewed evidence of internal benefits
• Promoted by Alex Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow (2013), Dr. Oz
• Risk of developing silver-resistant microbes
• Threatens silver as "last resort" antimicrobial against MRSA

Paul Karason's Story

• Continued colloidal silver use until death in 2013
• Retreated from public due to being treated as freak
• Died from heart attack/stroke (heavy smoker)
• Death not linked to silver use

Skin Pigmentation Science

• Re-pigmentation happens faster than expected
• 100 generations (2,000 years) for major color changes
• Triggered by UV exposure levels
• Bodies adapt melanin production to environment
• Evidence that race is social construct
• Skin color purely based on melanin production
• UV needed for vitamin D, bone health
• Too much UV: skin cancer, reproductive issues
• Too little UV: bone density problems