Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-24
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THURsDAY EVENING, DECEMBER "a.
1HR WONDERFUL MAIDSTONE.

sIf they had maidstone in Newark now
there would be- no necessity of sending any
body to Paris for Pasteur's treatment" said
Mr.. George II. Fitzwilson yesterday in his
Office at No. 80 West Broadway. IA mad
stone is the most wonderful cure for the bite
of mad dog or snake that the world has
ever known. Unfortunately there have
been only two of them ever found. One OF
these was owned by Mrs. King, OF Rich
mond, Va, and was famous all through the
State for fifty years before the war. Inc
number of people who had been bitten by
mad dogs, rattlesnakes and moccasins, and
whose lives that stone has saved, mounts up
into the hundreds. The stone was sold at
auction after the death of Mrs. King, about
fifteen years ago, and bought by stranger,
who paid $500 for it, No one knew who he
was or where he went after the sale.
Il was and probably still am the owner OF
the other MAIDSTONE" continued Mr. Fiiz
wilson. ''IJ was found about twenty years
ago in an Indian mound, in GAINESVILLE,
Mecklenburg county, Va, by a Mr.. Morse.
He gave it to me after the wur, ana it has
been III my possession since then. Wheu
This epidemic Of rabies broke out in New
Jersey / looked it, butt had disappeared.
During the last week I have turned my
house upside down, but it can't lee found. 1t
is, of course, somewhere in the house, but
lust where it will trouble me to learn. Some
wears ago lent it to friend in Philadel.
phia He submitted it to several eminent
physicians in Philadelphia for examination;
They tested it, and after curing seVerai maa
dog and snake bites with it, they agreed
that it was the most wonderful thing they
had ever seen. 1t is a piece of perfectly
plack porous stone, so light that it will
float on water, and about the size of my lit
tie fiugs. 1t has puzzled geologists, for they
capnu, iei what kind of stone it is, geolo-
eicaliy speaking. When person is bitten
BY ii.ad dog the stone is pressed against
the wound In half a minute it will begin
to turn green, and will adhere TO the flesh
as tightly as if it was piece of sticking
plaster AS it absorbs the poison it grows
more green, until it is the color of an oak
leaf Then it falls off, and after being
washed in tcpid water and cleansed of the
green fluid can be used again and again
until it refuses TO absorb any more poison.
/ have seen it used on Negroes arm that
had been bitten by moccasin snake, which
is about as venomouS as u rattlesnake.
Nearly half an hour had elapsed between
the time he was bitten and the application
of the maidstone, and his hand, arm ana
shoulder were frightfully swollen. In
another half hour he would have been dead.
The maidstone took hold like q leech and
filled Itself seven times with the greenish
fluid have spoken of. While this process
Of absorption was going on you could see
the swelling decreasing minute by minute
until, when the maidstone would absorb no
more and remained perfectly black when
applied, the mans arm was lis natural size
once again.
ga maidstone is most wonderful thing"
concluded Mr.. Fitzwilson. 1--WE heard of
the Indians in the mountains Of North Caro-
limo having one some years ago. but no
white man ever saw it. shall make every
effort to learn where mine is, and if can
find it shall send it directly to Newark,
where its marvellous powers can be demon.
strated to the satisfaction of every one
NJ Y Herald.