Throughout history, there have been many legends and stories about people who were said to have blue skin. One such group of people were the Blue Fugates, who lived in the hills of eastern Kentucky in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Fugates were descendants of a French immigrant named Martin Fugate, who carried a rare genetic condition that caused his descendants to have blue skin. This condition, known as methemoglobinemia, is caused by a genetic mutation that affects the body’s ability to produce a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. In methemoglobinemia, the mutated hemoglobin cannot properly bind to oxygen, causing the skin to take on a bluish hue.
The Blue Fugates were isolated from the rest of society, and their blue skin made them objects of curiosity and fear. However, they were generally healthy and lived long lives, with some family members living into their 80s and 90s without suffering from heart or liver disease. In the 1960s, a nurse named Ruth Pendergrass, along with hematologist Madison Cawein, discovered the cause of their blue skin and provided them with treatment to alleviate the symptoms. The treatment involved ingesting methylene blue dye, which helps convert methemoglobin back to normal hemoglobin.
While the Blue Fugates are the most well-known example of people with methemoglobinemia, there are other cases reported in medical literature. Additionally, there are stories and legends about people with blue skin in ancient cultures, such as the Nila in Hindu mythology. However, these stories are not necessarily linked to methemoglobinemia. The story of the Blue Fugates serves as a reminder of the genetic diversity that exists within human populations and highlights the importance of understanding and appreciating human differences…..Sée Móre
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