The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-20
...,as.Tse p,chmoud Mad Stone,


there havina Increased 10 an extent densnaine pei
scnai asteason to lie distribution, the COLLECTION VI
dues. -. -.--,--
Hydropho bia-. Richmond Mad stone'
The public Journals oflate have begun 20 on'oo'
icle new aud distressing cases Of this iesr'u' o's
ease. which terminates in the most dread'a' Oh an
deaths. writer 10 the Washington Evening n''
latin disgusting the subject says, "no remedy mas
yet been discovered for hydrophohis, thoue" /"
h., been q subject of experiment and discussion
for ages"
This. We think, 10 a mistake. A Western jour-
nal. which met our eye almost at the same mo-
msnt With the above remark Of the Bulletin, con-
t.,ns a letter from reliable correspondent In
Iowa giving a striking instance of cure by the
.nnlieat,on of q "mad stone" We have in our
own community, In the possession OF the Misses
KING, one Of these remarkable Stones sHa
has effected multitude OF cures u
each case quite as remarkable as that recorded oy
Western contemporary. This mao s'one Ie-
semhles In form the kernel of an almond Is
of an inch long and a Of an Inch thick; Que of the
principal sides 10 convex aud the other fiat. Its
color approaches Jet black, with the appearance
of . eight gresnish tinge 10 hardness, texture
and lustre It resembles canpef coal 1t was brought
ladies In whose possession 1t now 10, from Hindos-
tan, country whose jugglsrs not unfrequeutly
perform the feat Of suffering themselves to be bit.
ten By venouous reptiles, and Immediately there
after extract the virus by some infalibIe antidote
10 their possession.
Hundreds of persons bitten by dogs known to
have been rabid, are represented as having expe-
rienced the wonderful healing powers of this mad
stone In only single instance has it ever failed
70 accomplish perfect cure We have the names
of various reliable persons in our own and other
communities, who have beeA bitten by mad dogs,
and cured by the application of this remedy One
of these persons, Mr.. Henry Goddin, OF Church
Hill, was bitten by dog which attacked at the
same time several animals; he was the first Oh
ject assaulted by the rabid creature; he was bitten
10 the face, and his face covered with the saliva
An i'm mediate application of the mad stone was
made and he escaped the dreaded disease. This
was sixteen years ago. The animals bitten by the
same dog died.
We think It would DO for the benefit Of human
ity il this remedial agent were in the hands OF
some person who could conveniently dev ote his
entire attention to its employment in the relief OF
one OF the greatest scourges of humanity, and we
think IL likely that the ladies into whose posses
sion II has fallen would be willing 70 dispose of it,
both on account oil their own convenience anu tue
general good. The application of the remedy must
be made, il is said, within nine days after the
person has been bitten, as the expiration of Ion
ger period renders doubtful its prophylactic pow
ers We understand that the manner of applica
tion 10 as follows Before applying the stone to
the wounds they are dressed every two hours
with freshly made meal or bread and milk pou
tees for eight ten hours, when the most in
famed or sore part is punctured or scratched with
q needle, and after the mad stone has been suffer
ed to remain few minutes 10 warm water, auo
has been thoroughly clsansed, it is applied. If II
adhsrs firmly to the punctured portion OF thu
wound, the presence of virus is deemed conclusive
IL is removed occasionally, washed clean in warm
wat or and soap, and then applied again aud again
uutil It ceases to adhere, when all the poison is
supposed to be extracted. This process freguep Il,
requires several days before the stone will Cease
to stick to the bitten parts. In the meantime. the
patients required daily to take moderate doses
of salts, aud confined rgidly TO a diet of bread
aud fresh milk.
stone and It's properties by Capt. S. w Dewey one
ofthe most intelligent miueraOgists of the coup-
try, which we regret that we have not room to
publish. This gentleman, after q careful invesi-
CATION Of the stone, and all the facts connected
with its history, 10 thoroughly convinced of it's
invaluable qualities, aud earnestly desires that
they should be placed before the world.