It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Methemoglobinemia. (Discuss)
The Blue Fugates are an extended family from the Appalachian Mountains famous for having a high occurrence of the rare disorder methemoglobinemia. The patriarch of the family, Martin Fugate, settled near Hazard, Kentucky circa 1800. His wife was a carrier of the recessive methemoglobinemia (met-H) gene, as was a nearby clan with whom the Fugates intermarried. As a result many descendants of the Fugates were born with met-H.
External links
Straight Dope article on the Fugates of Appalachia, an extended family of blue-skinned people