Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-02-05


BATAVIA, Ill.,, Jan. "a, 1874.
From the numerous questions that
have been asked me, I judge that some
description of the mad stone," owned
BY Mr.. Joseph P. Evans, of Lincoln, in
this State, may be gratifying to many
OF your numerous readers, and there.
fore write to you.
The stone is irregular in shape,
about enc AMI fourth inches long,
one inch wide, and three. eie hths of an
inch thick. straight on the face, as If
worked off; the other side nearly flat,
having the appearance of being it's
natural shape. It has the appearance
of framework of cells, about 3-32d Of
an inch in diameter, rouud, smooth,
and having the color and appearance of
brown flint. The cavity in the inter-
stices between them are filed with
grayish stone, porous, resembling lava
or pumice stone, with the grain running
through from one side to tho other,
and in places looking as il the grains
did not quite reach the even surface OF
the cells. Mr.. Evans, the owner OF the
stone, claims that his family and an
cestors have been IN possession of it
for two hundred years, but does not
claim to know its origin. He appears
like candid, intelligent farmer. and
expresses the most perfect confidence
in its efficacy az q remedy for the bite
Ut a mad dog or rattlesnake, If ap.
piled before the patient is taken with
commissions and believes it will cure
the disease, even after it has reached
that stage. I also add q description
of its application in my case.
was bitten in the hand by dog on
Thursday night about o'clock. and
the wounds were very thoroughly eau
terized within from ten to twenty
minutes. Before applying the stone
(Which was on Saturday morning, about
thirty-eight hours after was bitten)
Mr.. Evans scarified the edges of the
wound, removing as much OF the burnt
part as he could conveniently, repeat
ing that process several times on re.
moving the stone from the deepest
wound. He then placed the stone upon
that wound which was partly between
my little and third finger, binding it
on very tightly. After about thirty
minutes he removed it, and where
it touched the wound 1t was
wet with thin matter which
emitted very strong sicken-
ing odor, which I noticed at several
different times on its removal from the
wound, and which continued to some
extent to the last. A trace of that
odor could he discovered when I tried
it after cleansing before the third or
fourth application; and as he contin-
ned its application, the odor which it
retained after being cleansed seemed
! to increase. The applications to that
wound were continued about fifty-four
hours, and the other ION the b:*ck oi
my handy about twenty-four hours.
did not see him cleanse the stone, as
he took it from the room for that pur.
pose. but I understood that he cleansed
it with warm water, leaving it fifteen
or twenty minutes before returning il
to the wound. After the first applica'
tion he left it m hour or more each
time. The strong odor that it emitted
was evidence to me that it pos.
sessed some property which I did
not understand, and the numerous
cases which he cited, where he had
tested it's efficacy, never having failed
but once, and that when it had not q
fair trial, gave me so much confidence
that iu similar case I should recon-
mend it's trial. As to its " adhering
to the wound as long as the virus re.
mained in the SYSTEM" am unable to
say anything, as the wounds
on my hands were 80 located
that it could not be fair test, if il
possessed that quality, which think
the owner claimed for it. hope that
whenever another case shall occur
where it is deemed advisable to make q
trial of the stone, the patient shall be
accompanied by physician competent
to detect the humbug, if it be one: and
noto any phenomena that may appear
which might lead to better knowledge
of the disease and its antidotes.
N WOIEOTF