Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-01
AN ESSEX MAIDSTONE
PLACED IN THE COUNTY CLERKS
CUSTODY IN THE LAST CENTURY.
tion In Virginia Their Virtues,
Locations. and Owners.

ltofrcSponucnccO OF mo hicnmonu Dispetch'l
DcNssvn.I.E. Va, March 30.-Now and
then see something in the papers about
madstones. To any it may please or benefit
TO know. will suggest that there is mad
stone III Essex county, which came into
the possession of the county many years
ago and was placed in the custody of the
clerk, to be used under the directions of
the resident physician of Tappahsnnock.
The first physician who had professional
control of this stone was DR.. Austin
Brockenbrough then the eminent DIR.
Thomas G. Gordon. father of your distin-
guished attorney. Colonel w. w. Gordon.
aAIEwooD's CASE.
The only case now remembered IN which
he used il was on Mr. Richard Gatewood,
who was born and reared in Essex county.
but married in and moved to James City
county somewhere in the forties. He was
bitten by dog considered 10 be o " mad
dog" Gatewood was so impressed with
that fact that he at once came all the way
from James City to Tappahannock. and DIR.
Gordon applied this stone. Gatewood was
relieved and satisfied that he would never
run mad from that dogs bite.
ITs HIsToEY.
This stone, with eighteen or twenty
others, was brought to this coun-
try Qor they are not indigenous
by Scotchman. who came TO the
United States and settled at DUN
fries. Va, IN 1775. This was then very
considerable shipping port, especially of
tobacco. and this Scotchman used to make
frequent voyages 10 Australia and East
India islands. trading in the interest of
the government. In one of his voyages he
rat,osnad TINA of these
islands and did some little trafhcking with
the natives of it. One day lot of them
came down to the ship bringing cat and
scorpion.
VIRTUES OF The STONE.
The captain was surprised TO see them
put this cat in position to be bitten or
stung by the scorpion. He was made TO
watch its effects. The cat very soon gave
evidence of most excruclatlng suffering.
and in very short time died. The natives
then allowed or provoked the scorpion 10
bite or sting one Of them, As soon as the
place began TO swell and the skin TO change
its color. the native took from his pocket
Cor what we call pocketsl an insignificant
little stone which he applied to the wound
and il at once adhered, and after remain
ing until it had absorbed all the poison
and the swelling had gone down 1t dropped
off. This process was repeated upon
several Others OF the natives with The same
results. By which the captain was led TO
believe there was some mysterious virtue
IN that stone.
PROCURED 18 OR 20 STONES.
The natives refused to show the place or
places where the stones could be found.
alleging that to do 30 would be at the prIc Q
of their lives. as death was the penalty tor
revealing their location; but the captain
managed to procure eighteen or twenty OF
them and brought them to Virginia. In
1904 the Legislature was IN session, and
this captain having frIends-perhaps con-
nections-among the members. gave seye-
raj Of them one of these madstones.
THE PRESENT STONE.
Through its representative in that Legis-
lature or his friends or relatives, Essex
county came in possession OF this yeiy
stone. So history states, and that history
is given by the grand or great-grandson OF
that captain, who himself still owns one
of the stones and has tried II III cases OF
rattlesnake bites aud persons bitten by
dogs with hydrophobia. Some persons
bitten by the same dog, who failed to APP
ply the stone, died in the agonies OF hydro
phobia, whilst those to whom 1T was APP
piled recovered without suffering or In
convenience.
CASE IN POINT.
One instance is related of colored man
and a white man. both bitten by the same
dog on the same day The colored man, as
soon as he could, applied TO its owner, and
prevailed upon him to apply his mad
stone, though from the length or time
which elapsed the limb with. the bite
had become greatly swollen and the pol
son pretty generally diffused. The stone
had 70 be applied several times. As fast as
il became fully charged it would drop on,
in few moments the poison evaporate or
leave the stone, when II would again stick
as tenaciously as at first. This coiored
man suffered no further, but the white
man who would not, or could not, have
the stone applied. died of hydrophobia.
OTHER CASES.
Many other cases. such "a copper head
and rattle-snake bites. showing the virtue
of the stone, were related by this historian.
who was alive some few years ago and who
is vouched for as O gentleman OF strict
veracity and respectful standing. and be
certainly possessed the stone and valued
il beyond price as an heirloom in his fami-
liz. lie traces up many Of the stones
brought to Virginia in 1904.
ONE IN RICHMOND.
There was one owned by Mrs. Helen or
Ellen King, OF Richmond; one given to the
Armlstead family, which moved to Arkan-
sas: one in Washington city; one IN West
moreland county: one in Essex county
giving the names of the persons or faml-
lies through whom they got to these re-
spective localities. This is all borrowed
history, and am particular to so state
but the old gentleman furnishing 1t was
far more exact and minute. No earthly
doubt of his facts.