Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-21

This was the expression of well known,
wealthy gentleman of Lynchburg to the
Herald correspondent while recently speak
ing of the persons bitten by rabid dogs who
were sent 10 France for treatment by M
Pasteur.
'It seems to me-" he continued, "that
such thing as maidstone must be un-
known to the great Northern public. There
was one near Upperville, Va.,, one in
Pittsylvania county and one in Grayson
county, which the owner, MIR. Ingoldsby,
showed to my daughter recently. l be-
lieve certain cure in cases of hydrophobia
can be performed by these stones. They
are heirooms in families and no money can
buy them. Dr. Thomas P. Mathews, who
lives in Manchester, had a brother who was
bitten by mad dog and who was cured by
the maidstone sucking out the virus. Many
wears ago he was my neighbor and he related
20 me the mavelious drawing of the virus
from the bite"
DR., Mathews was found by the correspon
dent at his residence, in Manchester, and
in response to a question said: Il had
brother who was bitten by a rabid dog and
was afterward cured by the application of a
maidstone. 1t occurred long time ago, but
the main facts of the case were so strongly
impressed on my mind at the time that I
remember them distinctly. We lived at
Walkers Church, Appomattox county, at
the time. My brother, S. F. Matthews, was
then about twenty years old. We had
small dog, great pet with all of the family.
One evening the little animal appeared to
be out Of sorts. My brother, observing this,
was petting it, when the dog bit him through
the left arm, just above the elbow. Nothing
was thought of the matter till next day,
when it was discovered that the wound be.
gan to look serious and that the little dog
had fits and occasionally foamed at the
mouth. The family physician, DR.. Durphy,
examined the dog and pronounced him mad
An investigation then revealed the fact
that our dog had been bitten by another
rabid dog the preceding day and the same
on which my brother had been bitten. DIR.
Durphy at once cut out Of my brothers arm
with razor the entire piece of flesh which
had been bitten. He remarked, however,
that the virus had then extended through
the system, aud recommended that my
brother be taken to a family in the lower
part of Halifax county who had maidstone
and have it applied at the earliest moment
to the wound. The distance was about fifty
miles He was taken therenext day It took
the whole day to go there with fast team.
Now, this was the second day after the bite.
The maidstone is light, porous substance,
of either brown or slate color, and resem-
bles pumice stone. When applied 10 the
wound it stuck fast, and remained there Of
its own accord for considerable time, when
it fell off. The stone was then placed in
warm water, where, in few minutes, it dis
charged the virus it had absorbed while on
the wound. The stone was again placed
upon the wound, to which it again rgidly
adhered for about the same length of time
as at first, when it again fell of. It was
once more placed in warm water and a
third time placed on the wouud, to which
it again stuck fast. This was done four
times, and cure was then said, by the
owners of the stone, to have been effected,
as the stone refused longer to adhere to the
wound, which was, in their estimation,
proof positive that all the virus in my
brothers. system had been extracted, and
there was no further danger. My brother
never had any systoms of hydrophobia. His
wound healed and the arm was soon quite
well. He died of typhoid fever seventeen
years after the occurrence l have just told
you. That particular maidstone is still in
the hands of the same family. They would
not part with it. I have heard, for any
amount of money. They never refused the
use of it and never made any charges for its
wonderful cures"
These authentic statements regarding
madstones in Virginia brought to the cor.
respondents mind conversation of over a
year ago with Mr.. William Townes, of Gus
corvilla, Mecklenburg county. who was then
member of the Virginia Legislature. Mr..
Townes was not only an implicit believer in
the certain efficacy of madstones in cases Of
bites by rabid dogs, or poison by reptiles or
insects, but he was the possessor of one of
them himself which had never failed, he
said, to effect cures when applied in proper
time. Mr.. Townes said:
II have small piece of this substance
called maidstone. had girl bitten by a
rabia dog in 1867. had never seen rabid
dog. I chained him up, but it became so
painful for me to witness his su6erings that
killed him. I applied the stone to the
wounds on the girls wrists, and it stuck fast
for some time to each tooth mark, and when
it dropped off l would put it into tepid
water, and it would emit the poison and
stick to the wound again. This was repeat
ed till the stone would stick no longer. The
girl is now woman with six children, as
healthy and strong as any woman you ever
saw, and has never been troubled by her
bite.
"I had blooded mare bitten by mocca-
son snake, which is regarded as the most
poisonous of our reptiles. To this bite | at
once applied the stone, and the suffering
brute obtained instant relief.
IT had boy who stuck rusty nail in his bare
foot sent for physician, and he told me the
boy was about to have tetanus. The patient had
not slept for three nights and was in the greatest
agony. had never heard Of the maidstone being
used in such case, but concluded to try it. l
took my knife. picked the hard scab off the wound
and applied the stone. In few moments tho
boy fell into deep sleep, and from which ho
awoke next morning free from pain, and got well
speedily.
"But ono moro lust to satisfy you. A little
child of a 'neighbor had been bitten on the hand
by cat. The child was in great pain and had
had no sleep for several days. Igave him my
maidstone and he told me when he returned it
that the child went to sleep few moments after
he applied the stone and was soon quite well,
These facts know and, if necessary, would tsS-
, tify to them be'ore magistrate.
DRY. A. Epps, of Clarksville in this county,
had gotten blood poison in his hand while dis