Credit Side Annotation

Line 3 - On Monday, 9 Oct. 1797, GW's slave and body servant, Christopher (sometimes called Christopher Sheels), was bitten by a dog that was "supposed a little diseased" and which died on the 13th reportedly "in a State of Madness." GW immediately had Christopher treated by Dr. James Craik, but after hearing of the successful rabies treatments performed by Henry William Stoy (1726-1801), a minister and physician in Lebanon, Pa., GW sent his slave to Stoy for treatment. On 14 Oct. 1797, GW wrote Stoy, asking him to aid Christopher to the best of his ability so as to "prevent any bad consequences from the Bite". In his reply to GW on 19 Oct., Stoy assured GW that Christopher had received treatment and that he was "Safe." Stoy's remedy consisted of, among other ingredients, red chickweed and beer. Christopher survived the bite and was later present during GW's final illness and death.

GW asked Matthias Slough of Lancaster, Pa., to pay the cost of Christopher's treatment, but after having learned that Stoy had not received payment, GW sent the minister a five-dollar bank note in March 1798. GW to William Stoy, 14 Oct. 1797 [Rotunda | Founders Online | Print (Retirement Series, Volume 1, pages 404-5)]; Stoy to GW, 28 Feb. 1798 [Rotunda | Founders Online | Print (Retirement Series, Volume 2, pages 111-12)]; GW to Stoy, 17 March 1798 [Rotunda | Founders Online | Print (Retirement Series, Volume 2, pages 145-46)]; and Diaries, 6: 262-63 [Rotunda | Founders Online].