Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-01
THE IOWA MAIDSTONE.
A Stone That Has Been Known fos
1870 Years-hoW II 10 Used.
Davenport Corr of the Chicago Tribune.

$50 100T8-H0W u - O000s
Davenport Corr. of the Chicago Tribune
Inquiry having been made as to the
whereabouts of II gennint maidstone,
the following will give the desired
information regarding one which has
a wonderful record. 1t 10 now in the
possession of Turner Evans, of Paris,
jackson township, Linn county, the
nearest point to which by railroad is
Anamosa, on the Dubuque 81 South
western railroad. Its properties were
first known in Virginia 100 years
ago. 1t has been in the Evans family
since first known.
The present possessor received it
from his father Adam Evans. 1t did
many wonderful cures, and was known
far and wide. He received it from his
father in 1872, while living in Boone
Station, Kentucky. On the death OF
Adam Evans, it passed to Turner
Evans, more than twenty years ago.
During that period it has been tested
many times, and never failed to cure
the rabies, even in the most severe
and almost hopeless cases. At first
the neighbors Of MI. Evans were in
credulous, and inclined to ridicule the
thing, but after numerous successful!
trials on horses and cattle, doubt was
changed to certainty. During his
possession of the stone, nearly loo
cases have been treated, and in no,
one case has the stone failed 10 give
relief and effect cure.
1t is not longer than the end of a
mans thumb, weighs one-fourth OF
an ounce, and resembles 8 dark
sponge, with fine pores extending
from side to side. Seen through d
magnifying glass it resembles flint
ana at the outer end Of the pores ap
pear dark rings like sandstone. 1t il
triangular in. form, having one fla
surface which is called the working
side.
When used it is placed in bath o.
one part milk to three parts water
and warmed to blood heat. The pa
tent is required to exercise brisk,
until the blood becomes active in cir
culation, when the skin near the
parts bitten are scratched with 9
sharp-pointed instrument until the
blood starts, when the stone is ap.
piled. 1t Immediately begins to alb
sorb the virus, and, when filled, is re.
moved and soaked in the milk-and.
water bath. 1t is thus repeatedly ap.
piled, until it ceases to adhere to the
flesh which it will do as soon as the
virus is extracted, and not until then
While the virus remains, it requires
considerable power to remove it. Il
has been applied nearly 100 times in a
single case. The rule is to apply it al
long as it will take hold. Applied tc
the flesh of Il person not affected with
rabies, it has no more affect than 8
piece of glass, unless there be present
the faint of scrofulous discase, wher
it will adhere as in cases of rabies
The cases cured by this stone are toe
many and too authenticated to permit
doubt of it's efficacy. A Mr.. Bunce
of Mechanicsville, bitten by rabiG
dog, visited Mr.. Evans, and, when h.
arrived there was suffering from par.
Oxysms and nervous spasms of thu
limbs. The stone was applied ano
he was cured.
A Mr.. Field. of Chicago, arrived
there in terrible condition. Fol
twenty-four hours before the stone
was applied he suffered intense tortur,
. from nervous paroxysms and agony
of mind, which, if continued another
day, would have, he believes, resulted
in madness; in fact he says deatf
would have been q relief to him
rather than have endured the torment
lie was wholly cured by the use o
the stone.
Mr.. Evans seeks no notoriety
What he has received has come from
: those who have experienced the ben
eft of the maidstone. If any persol
afflicted with rabies visits him h,
. will do all he can to give him relief
He promises nothing, and makes n,
pretensions. He is not q visionist
nor superstitious. The properties o
the maidstone are to him an establish
ed fact, as much so as that he will
reap wheat where he sows the seed. I
is at the service of any who wish t.
use it