Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 22, 1949, edition 1 / Page 9
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z * DO YOUR CHRISTMAS Shopping in Boone WATAUGA DEMOCRAT An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888 SELL YOUR TOBACCO IN BOONE VOL. LXH ? NO. 24 BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMB ER 22, 1949 lfl PAGES? 2 SECTIONS LAST ILLNESS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON CAUSED BY COLD i ? Washington ? George Washing ton died 180 years ago Wednes day" ? a sudden victim of acute laryngitis and carelessness about his own health. His death at 67 probably was hastened by rigorous medical treatment. It included four blood lettings; a gargle of molasses, vinegar and butter, which almost suffocated him; blisters of can tharides (dried beetles) applied to his throat, and cataplasms (poultice*) of wheat bran on his legs. However, modern doctors have said that Washington apparently had a streptococcic Infection of the throat which might not have responded even to the most effi cacious treatment They say his physicians carried out the ac cepted. if crude, practices of their day. Washington's last illness was very brief. He was caught in rain, hail and snow while riding over his Mount Vernon farms and stayed out in the storm for several hours. He had a sore throat the fol lowing day but in the afternoon went out in the snow to mark some trees for cutting. He be come very ill early the next morning, had great difficulty in breathing and speaking and died at 10:20 that night, December 14, 1799. The diary of Tobias Lear, Washington's secretary, tells of the general's unconcern about catching cold and of his compo sure on the last day of his life. When Washington came in on December 12 Lear said to him that he was afraid he had got wet. The general replied that his great coat had kept him dry, but Lear noticed that his neck ap peared wet and snow was hang ing on his hair. He went to din ner without changing his clothes. When Washington retired the next night Lear suggested that he take something for his cold. Washington said, "No, you know I never take anything for a cold. Let it go as it came." Between 2 and 3 o'clock the next morning the general awak ened Mrs. Washington and told her he was sick and had had a chill. However, he would not let her get up to call a servant lost! she take cold. At sunrise Mrs. Washington asked Lear to sirm mon Dr. James Craik of Alexan dria, (Va.). Washington said he wanted Mr. Rawlins, a Mount Vernon overseer, to bleed hinv Mean while, Lear reports, a mixture of molasses, vinegar and butter w*s prepared "to try its effect" on Washington's throat but " he could not swallow a drop and almost suffocated." When Rawlins came in the general noticed he was agitated' and said, "Don't be afraid." After the incision was made in his arm Washington commented, "the orifice is not large enough.'' Lear says that Mrs. Washing ton begged that not much blood be taken from him and asked Lear to stop it but that the gen eral put up his hand and said "more, more." When Dr. Craik arrived he put a blister of cantharides on Wash ington's throat, took some more blood and prepared a gargle of vinegar and - sage tea. Again Washington was almost suffoca ted. A little later he was bled a third time. Dr. Craik sent for Dr. Elisha Dick of Alexandria, who came in about 3 p. m. Dr. Gustavus Brown of Port Tobacco, Md., ar rived soon after. Washington was given calomel and bled again. Lear, in a letter to his mother, said: "His distress through the day was extreme but not a groan or a complaint escaped him. With the most perfect resignation and in full possession of his reason to the last moment, he gave up his life. "He was fully sensible of his approaching dissolution . . . and he frequently told the physicians that their efforts would be in vain." About 4:30 in the afternoon Washington said to Lear: "I find I am going. My breath can not last long. I believed from the! first the disorder would prove) fatal. Arrange and record all myl late military letters and papers. '! At 5 o'clock he said to his oldj friend Dr. Craik: "Doctor, I be-i lieved from my first attack that I should not survive it. My breath can not last long." At 8 o'clock the doctor applied, more blisters to his throat and. poultices of bran to his feet.j About 10 o'clock Washington! made several attempts to speak to Lear, then said: "I am just going. Have me de cently buried and do not let my body be put in the vault in less than two days after I am dead."i Lear reports: "He then felt his, own pulse. I took his hand be tween mind. The pulse ceased,1 and he was launched into h^p-i pier scenes." Lear wrote that "Mrs. Wash ington never quitted the room during the whole time." Riders were dispatched from' Mount Vernon to tne north and to the south to notify President John Adams, other officials and triends. The news did not reach Phil adelphia, then the national capi tal until four days later. Congress adopted a resolution recommend ing that the people wear crepe on the left arm for 30 days. Washington's funeral was held at Mount Vernon on December 18 before most the country! had heard of hisT death. It was attended by Masonic and mili tary officials of Alexandria, his neighbors and relatives. A schooner in the river fired minute-guns as the procession moved from the mansion to the There'll be Christmas crowds on Long Distance, too Long distance telephone lines will be crowded on Christmas Eve and Christ mas Day. We'll be on the job doing our best to put calls through.. We've added g lot of circuits and rearranged others. Every switchboard will be in servite. Even so, there may be delays. You'll get (aster service if you do your calling before Christmas Eve or after Christmas Day. SOUTKItN till TUIPHONI AND IILIO?APH COMPANY SOUR NOTE IN CHRISTMAS CAROL . . . Ton would Imagine with a name like Carol tbe ;oni lady woald enter Into the spirit of Talettde. Bit Carol Sthelln, New York City, Just can't |tl accustomed to that chin foliage worn by the ktpiiolfl old not who la ao* open to reqoesta at a New York de partment store. tomb. Musicians played a dirgei with muffled drums. The general's horse, with his saddles, holsters and pistols was led by two of his grooms. His casket was borne by Masonic and military officials. At the tomb the Episcopal service and a short sermon were read and Masonic ceremonies' were conducted. Congress resolved that a mar-) ble monument be erected to Washington's memory within the n#v/ Capitol to be erected in Washington and that his family be requested to permit his body to be placed beneath the! monument. Mrs. Washington gave her consent. A crypt was provided under the dome of the Capitol, but the project was never completed. In 1831 the surviving executors of the Washington estate removed the bodies of General and Mrs. Washington and other members of the family from the old vault to a similar vault where they now rest U. S. orange production for the 1949-50 season is estimated at 105.6 million boxes, 6 per cent above last season and 13. per cent above average. RUDDERLESS SHIP The Army Transportation Crops Board is now testing a rudderless ship. It is the first military craft to be designed and built for cycloidal propulsion and is undergoing sea trials off the South Carolina cost. This type of propulsion utilizes two propel lers, each consisting of a blade wheel, equipped with six blades and resembling a section of an air plane propeller. Its axis is verti cal and at right angles to the dir ection of movement. Thus, it re presents a radical departure from the conventional helical screw type propeller. Legend not only has Identified the Wlae Men as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. it haa crowned them and given them the king dom* of Tarsus, Arabia and Ethiopia. It has symbolized their gifts as symbolic of what Jesus was to become ? gold for a king, frankincense for a high priest and myrrh for a great physician. The Gospel text's specific wise men fr?m the east logically identi fies them with Zoroastrianism ? an ancient monotheistic religion of Persia. Zoroastrian priests were called Magi; they were powerful in public and private life since they, and they alone, possessed the priestly mysteries involved in the worship of Mazda? who repre sented the Zoroastrian power for good. The Magi may or may not have been fabulously wealthy: St. Mat thew does not elaborate their treasures nor the amount of gold, frankincense and myrrh which they presented to the Christ Child. The gifts may have been mere tokens of their treasures, or the sum and substance thereof. And if they were soothsayer*, mystics and possibly clairvoyant* they were also truly wise ? In as much as they did not return to Herod, but departed into their ?wn country by a different route. Christmas Cards Have - Warm, Friendly Air The 1949 Christmas cards pro mise a gay Yuletide. Scenes of holiday skating, sled ding, and juvenile pranks bedeck the springhtly greetings A Santa with feathery beard comw bearing "A wish so old ... it has WHISKERS I" Publishers estimate that 1, 600,000,000 Christmas cards will brighten the nation's holiday mail ? about 100,000,000 mora good wishes than last year. Religious designs have come to the fore in popularity. Madonna and Child portraits, in soft pastel hues, lead the Holy Land scenes. Chiming bells, midnight church goers and surpliced choirs ex ? tress the modern reverent atti ude toward Christmastime. On the whimiscal side, the "three little kittens" of nursery rhyme fame have hung their mittens on the fireplace, drowsi ly awaiting Santa. One card's in the shape of a barrel ? to wear after you pay your Christmas bills. Verses have a warm, straight forward friendliness ? If me n' Santa were in cahoots? By gash vou'd hafta hang HIP BOOTS! Novelty Yule cards are in heavy demand. Tiny angels and snowmen pop out of tiny watch springs. Several greetings con tain cardboard ornaments for decorating your Christmas tree. Other Christmas cards are guar anteed against getting dog-eared in the holiday mail rush ? they're stamped from sheet aluminum! Incidentally, the Post Office Department asks that your out oflState cards be mailed by December 15, and local cards a week before Christmas. "Special title" Christmas cards have multiplied, with affection ate individual verses for loved ones and valued friends. What ever your taste, you'll have no trouble finding a Christmas card this Yule ? publishers say 25,000 different designs are available t Private American "capital to finance oil refinery in Puerto Rico. ? NNHtfMHi The Night will be hushed (save the Mother Wind's whispered lullaby) . . . and though Santa steps gingerly to the chimney top, nary a little one will hear. The Morn will bring Joy . . . Surprise . . . Dancing Stars in the eyes of tots well schooled in the ways of Santa. It will bring the re-uniting of friends and family ? well wishing for the Holiday Season ? and prayers for Peace, the World over. With those prayers go our wishes for a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year Peace, Happiness and Prosperity to all our friends, now, tomorrow and in the years to come!
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 22, 1949, edition 1
9
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