Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-09
THH MAIDSTONE.

10 inc EulUOTS Ol the Union anu American;
1 wish to direct public opinion to the alb
surdity of such thing as a maidstone"
and to propose test for the author signing
himself Subscriber in your paper. Here is
what another subscriber to your paper pub
lished on this subject years ago:
Many persons believe in the efficacy of
what are called mad-stones, said to have
the power ofabsorbing the poison deposited
in the bite of rabid animals, snakes, spiders,
etc. Recently the editor of the Memphis
AUGldnche notices one of these, which, he
asserts, came from China, and was sold at
auction on the death of its possessOr to the
present owner, who has refused S., 900 for
it, but might be induced to take $4,000,
provided he could have the use of it if re-
quired. He further states that it has been
applied to over 900 cases and only failed
twice, because it could not then reach the
bitten part. But how this was possible,
considering that the surface of the body is
alone exposed to be wounded by the dog, is
not explained. These porous balls are
applied Immediately upon the bite, and then
dropped into warm water, upon whose sur
face is seen floating the oily matter, abb
sorbed, as it would be by any other porous
substance, from the wound, and this is de-
clared and believed to be the virus. The
comments upon this are: First, we have no
certain sign to determine that dog has hy-
dTophObia, and almost every ailment in this
animal is supposed to be connected with
rabies. Secondly, few persons bitten by
rabid animals go mad. DIR. Hunter said
only 1 in u cases; DR.. Hamilton, l in 25:
and DIR. Herting in 100 NEGOTIATIONS with
t[o mir e1Iaaoodad OV,ivr IN,
as in the saliva alone resides the rabific vi
rus, personssbitten through the clothing al
most invariably escape. FOurthly, HYDRO
phObia is peculiar in only occurring after a
lengthy period of incubation. The tooth of
a dog makes a confused, lacerated wound,
therefore it is tardy in healing, but the re-
crudesence or reopening of it, generally oc-
ours about forty days after its infection.
Lastly, it is very rare affection in man,
and invariably fatal. We see, then, how
all these circumstances favor the impression
of virtue in the maidstone. Until one has
been applied to the bite OF the rattlesnake
or copperhead, or some better evidence than
has yet been adduced, we shall continue TO
believe, that as much power for extracting
poison from wounds exist in lump of SUI
gar, or piece of chalk, and infinitely more
in sponges, than in all the madstones of the
world combined.
Will the author of your communication
permit arsenic, strychnine, nicotine or afro
pine, or the poison of the rattlesnake, put
under his skin, and then rely upon the mad
stone to save him? For whatever virtue
said stone may possess, surely none can be-
lieve it has the discriminating power in re-
gard to poisons. If so, then we should be
ready again to bow down and worship dumb
idols of wood and stone, Alas for poor
human nature
That great philosopher, FaIaday, the ser
want, then the associate, and finally success
sor of Sir Humphrey Davy, when forced to |
examine the kindred subjects ofmesmerism, |
table-turning, spiritualism, ETC., came out |
with the exclamation, oh, for more common |
sense IN these British Isles and declared |
from what he had seen, he was forced to |
the conclusion, such were the prejudices |
and absurdities of the human mind, that |
he thought little better than the instincts of |
the dog.