The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-14
A WONDERFUL STORY.
Discovery in Virginia Of Mine Of the
Wonderful Mad Stone."-Its Remark
able Properties-Astonishing Cure Eff
fected by It. I...... .... .......

able Properties-Astonishing Cure Eff
fected by 1t. .,l...,. ..,
Richmond Cor. N. Y. Times.l tua..,
Having tale to tell more wonderful
than any that lightened the hours Of
the Arabian Knights, I have reserved
it to the last. Southern Virginia has
long been noted for it's mineral wealth
but is destined to be more famous by
the fact that it has lately shown itself
of a mine of "The Wonder,
full Mad Stone," very limited, to be
sure, as to quantity, but almost meal
culable as to value, and as the matter
is important, I propose to trace the
matter fully. sg.a lila.l rlaa .u
Everybody has long heard of the IA
nous Mad Stones, not more than a
score of which were known to be in ex.
istence. In Virginia the substance il
known as the Ponto Stone, from the
fact that DR., Ponto, (long since dead, }
q resident the region where the late
discoveries were made, was the first to
use it, and from him all known speci'
mems have come. The instances where
the Ponto Stone has cured and preven-
ted hydrophobia are very numerous
but it was never tried for any other
poison. This much of promise, and
come to my history, first saying that
the parties not yet knowing exactly
how to proceed, do not feel at liberty
to give names in full, and therefore
use initial letters.
About six weeks ago, Mr.. G., res
ident of Halifax. came to DR.. NJ. and
said he had found something that
looked like the Ponto Stone, and, pro-
ducing dozen pieces, wished the doc
tor to experiment with them. The doc
tor was skeptical, but, to accommodate
his friend, undertook to comply with
his desires. For some time no oppor-
tunity was prescnted-mad dogs, for
not being very plentiful at
any time or any place, and very scarce
indeed in Virginia so early in the sum-
mer. At last, about ten days ago, a
negro on the doctors place loading
corn shucks, gathered up in one arm
full a huge copperhead snake, which bit
him on the arm just above the wrist.
The negro yelled, of course, but stop
ping only to tie his suspender tightly
around his arm above the elbow, start
ed on the run for the docter. The
distance was not great, but by the time
ne arrived the arm had greatly swollen,
;hus showing the poison to be virulent
DR.. M. resolved on trying the stone,
md applied it, following the directions
n the use of the Ponto Stone. In the
present instance the stone clung to the
,egro's arm with wonderful tenacity
or few moments, and then fell off,
he swelling meantime sensibly de-
,rcasing. 1t was then put in luke.warm
water. and the poison was distinctly
'een to exude from it. Being taken
,ut of the water, and thoroughly dried,
was again applied and again adj cred,
,ut notso long as before, nor with the
anne terrible grip, but when it came off
IL the poison in the negro's veins came
With it, or at least the man went back to
york at once, and within an hour of
he time he was bitten, and has shown
10 sign of virus since.
1t was thus satisfactorily established
0 DIR. M. that the stone would extract
he poison of a snake, and itinstantly
occurred to him that if it was an anti
ode for one kind Of poison it was for
mother, and he pursued his experiments
urther. He next applied the stone to
enereal poison with precisely the
ame effect. The case was one in the
primary stage, and of very virulent
haracter, and in three days an entire
ure had been perfected. ~. ..aY.
Having thus discovered the great
'alue of the stone, DIR. M. attempted
lext to trace the discovery of the new
tore of it, but with only partial sue
ess. J. would admit that he had
found some of it," but could not be
induced to say when, where, how, or
low much, further than he might supply
hundred pounds OF so. From ne
no, however, it was extracted that }.
ad come upon the substance while
lgging a mill race; that he had scru-
inized it closely, taken specimen and
instantly abandoned the mill-race, and
estored the ground where the discove-
Y had been made 10 its original state.
This much and no more would the ne
no tell, and the secret is buried with
he two, and likely SO to remain. DIR.
L., however, and his brother j. A. NJ,
n his slight information, ventured a
arge sum for half interest in the
tone, with q view of having it intro
Iuced into the practice medicine.
have spoken Of this thing as o
tone, but it is nothing of the sort be-
,g evidently a vegetable and not a
mineral substance. 1t is found in
mall pieces, and is of three colors-a
It BLACK, and two shades Of dingy
'hite have two pieces now before
a mirky white, and an eighth
f an inch in thickness the other Jet
lack and Of the same dimensions, ex-
ept being little wider.
I may mention, in conclusion, that
ieces of the stone have been placed in
,e hands of an eminent New York
hemist during the past week for the
urpose of analysis, and experimenting
| the large hospitals ofthe city.
1t was intimated to Judge Under
'ood recently from the White House,
l. 80 l.