The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-07-11
Result Of the Maidstone Craze.

Result Of the Maidstone Craze.
SEDAL1A, Mo-, June 2B.--This is 8 live
city Of 10000 inhabitants, and not one of
this number knew just how many fools
there we're among them until they made
themselves known IN answer to an adver-
tisement. Sedalia has had mad dog
epidemic. About two week ago strange
dog appeared in this community afflicted
with the rabies and bit several others.
The dog was killed, but not until 1t had
done fatal work. A number of dogs
bitten went mad and spread the disease.
The animals we're Killed az rapidly as
possible and the city council met in
special session at the call Of the mayor
and passed 8 muzzling ordinance. There.
after dogs were muzzled Or ruthlessly
shot down by the police, and Sedalia
was in the midst of q regular hydropho.
bia scare.
The epidemic created great deal of
talk about madstones and their efficacy.
The stone had supporters and detractors,
and the argument waxed warm. There
are two madstones Of great age in Sedalia
--one is owned by R. A. Blair, a wealthy
merchant and one by DR.. T. E. White,
veterinary surgeon. A great number of
persons expressed unbounded confidence
in madstones in general, and these mad.
stones in particular.
Now, DR.. Edward F. Small, q physi-
ci..n of standing and chief surgeon for
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railway,
when the epidemic broke out owned
kennel ofseven valuable bird dogs. They
became affected with rabies, one by one,
and were put to death. A few days ago
the last dog of the DOCTORS kennel took
the disease violently. Dr.. Small had
no faith in the maidstone efficacy and
determined to test some ofthe gentlemen
who had done 30 much talking in its
favor. Before killing the last dog, be
published in the Sedalia Bazoo state.
ment that he had rabid dog and would
give $500 in cash to any one who would
be bitten by his dog and trust to a
maidstone exclusively for a cure. Dr..
Small little thought that any one would
have the hardihood to accept his;ofer, but
he was suddenly and thoroughly unde.
ceived.
he was Immediately besieged With
applicants for dose of rabies from far
and near, in person and by mail. The
further the news travelled the more
applicants he received. The first appli.
cant was man named Dillon, from
Arkansas, q stranger who happened to
be in the city at the time. He went to
DR.. Small and offered himself in dead
earnest as an applicant for the $500
reward. DR.. Small was unprepared for
this, 1t was assuming a phase that he
had not anticipated. The Arkansas man
was in earnest, and DR.. Small, not believ.
ing in maidstone curative properties, and
not wishing to take the risk of the mans
death, did not have the nerve to close the
contract, but backed down.
The doctor explained that he did not
care for the loss of $500 but he did not
believe hydrophobia could be cured and
he did not wish to be party to even q
FOOLS death, as be expressed it. Seeing
that he vas likely to be besieged by an
army of cranks who we're willing to gain
notoriety by being bitten by mad dog,
he hastily withdrew his offer and publish
ed the withdrawal. But the Arkansas
man was not to be put off in this manner.
Having been knocked out of the coveted
$500 he determined, nevertheless. to prove
his faith in mad stones. Seeking DR..
White for witness he proceeded to DR..
Smalls residence. There he gained access
to the rabid animal.
The dog was writhing horribly, foaming
freely, and swapping viciously. Itwas in
the midst of q terrible convulsion and evi-
IDENTIFY in tho last stage of rabies. The
rash man boldly barred his arm, deliber-
ately stepped up to the furious animal
and received bite. The animal buried
itsl venomous fangs in the flesh of the
mans arm, bit out o chunk of flesh, leav-
ing a gaping and ghastly wound. The
dog died in commissions fifteen minutes
later. The man repaired to DR.. Whites
Office and applied the maidstone. It ad-
hered several times. The man had his
wound bound up, and expressed himself
as satisfied that he would recover speedily
and safely.
Though the dog was dead this was not
the end of DR.. Small's proposition. Ac.
ceptanees began to pour in, not only by
mail, but by telegraph. Up. to date he
has had to pay out several dollars in
receiving kilograms. Among those who
telegraphed was woman in Kansas City
who wanted to be bitten. She asked If
women came under the rules of the
proposition and wanted to come on the
next train if so. J. W. Dickson, Of
Kansas City, the owner of a maidstone,
wToie by mail and wanted to be bitten.
He wanted the dog taken to Kansas City,
and offered to put up q forfeit Of 81 900
to bind him to be bitten. In case Dr..
Small would not or could not take the dog
to Kansas City he signihed bis willingness
to come to the dog and bring his mad
stone with him. Mr.. Dickson claims to
have cured 1850 people bitten by mad
dogs with his single mad stone in twenty
years. His stone was brought by his
father from Ireland, and can be traced
back, he says, to the year 1719. He
further wrote to DR.. Small and turned the
challenge.
"If you will Let the dog bite you, and !
don't cure you with my maidstone, l will
give your family $50, 900, and am ready
to put up the money now; furthermore,
if you will cite one Individual out of the
1850 cases treated by me for hydrophobia
in the last twenty years that l have lost,
will give you SIS 900. can find, besides
myself, plenty of men right here in Kan.
gas City who will take your offer of $500.
I will guarantee to bring five men to be
bitten, each one for $500, if that will
suit you"
The dog is dead now, and this puts an
end to the notoriety to be gained by
cranks who want to be bitten by mad
dogs.
The man who was bitten lis we'll and
hearty now, but fears are entertained for
his future. DR.. Small thinks his mind is
affected. Mad dogs are becoming scarce,
but it will be long time before Sedalia
forgets this epidemic.
What In Said I'm Washington.