The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-11-23

DIsEAsE CnARMs-NAD SroH..-On page 10
ofthe present volume Of the Scientific American,
~ briefly alluded TO the notions entertained
BY many persons cf the virtues of what are
called .smsd stones" in curing hydrophobia.-
Since then We have recsived q letter from NJ.
Junias +. Maupin, editor Of the Whig At Moor
neid, in which he states that there has been .
| ''mad stone" in their family for seventy-five
| ysafe. and that it has beeA the means OF curing
hundreds OF persons during that period, a. sp.
Piled by his grandfather and father; aud in no
Instance had il ever failed to effect cure. He
believes in the curative virtue of this stone as
hfmly as he does in his own existence, and says:
Il would pot be afraid to venture my life that
you may take the most violent case Of perssn
poisoned with virus, and by the application Of
this stone, the poison will be abstracted in half
an hour. This stone il about the size Of
chestnut, atd when applied to wound caused
either BY . dog or snake bite, it adheres to il
like wax until it becomes saturated. with the
poison, when it drops of When placed in
bowl among water it imparts to the latter
greenish tinss. The ''mad stone" is nov in the
possession OF Jennings Maupin, of Marshall, Mo-,
ana We are informed that great many persons
OF the highest responsibility in Virginia will
endorse his statements regarding its curative
merits We are well aware that many persons
OF rcspectability and intelligence have great
confidence in the virtues Of such stones, but We
have never had any con6dedce in them our
selves. 1t these stones act only upon the prin-
clple OF absorbing the poison when applied to
wounds, OF course the operation of cupping
must be more efectual and rapid. But the
poison OF snake and dog bites seems to affect
both the nervous system and the blood; there
fore, to cure person affected with hydropho-
ola, something more 10 required than the mere
abstraction Of the virus from the wound. The
''mad stone" to effect . cure must have the
power Of communicating its.virtae through The
whole system in two methods, namely, BY neu.
tralizing the chemical decomposition Of The
blood, and also by allaying the nervous or spas.
medic action. When it is known, however,
that small pox may bs communicated by the
touch, hydrcphobia BY virus entering through
break in the skin, and fever BY the air We in
hale. it must be acknowledged that there are
more shlngs on the earth than can be embraced
Oy mans philosophy. Cures, therefore, in
great many instances may be effected BY means
IS simple % diseases are communicated. Hy-
drophooia charms, in the form of .smad stones"
nave been known and used from time imme-
morai. Most of them have come from Asia,
together with the traditions Of their powers
During the Holy Wars severa, Of these stones
were brought to Europe from Syria, having
been taken from the Saracens by the Crusaders. |
One OF these has been in the possession of the
noble family of Lockhart, in Great Britain, for
over six hundred years. Il was obtained by |
one Of the knights of this name from Saracen
lady Of rank, a. ransom for her husband,
whom the island !" arrior had taken prisoner in |
battle. For seve,A generations during the dark
ages, this mad stone" had high and very
extensive reputation for curing hydrophobia, |
but It's fame has wansd before the light of mo-
l,sNNr rI.f -. = 4
ing more than relic of dark age.-Seientifc |
American. l