Connecticut western news., 1882-06-14
ABOTT MAD STONES.
"A Very Interesting Letter from a
 Physician About Them.

|
 Physician About Them.
 To the editor of the New York Led eer--Sir I remember reading in the columns of your paper, year or more eg', quite a number of communications in regard to the mad stone, said com- munications covering various points, such as the actual existence of such a stone. it's efficacy, nature, etc. At that time, although having heard of such stones all my life, and the wonderful cures effected by them, had never seen one. nor had an opportunity of testing its virtues.
 Recently was called to see little daughter of gentleman named Roberts who resides in our city. The little girl had been attacked by ferocious dog, thrown to the ground and her right cheek and shoulders badly Iacerated. After cauteriziDg the wound, proceeded to dress it, when the mother asked me if it would not be a good idea to apply a mad stone to the wound. I told her that I kpew nothing certain concern. ing the efficacy of such ah agent, but | should not object, if one could be found een7enisnt. I found that she knew where to find two-one in the posses- slon of Joshua A. Terrill, of Glasgow. Mo-, the other belonging to Dr. Terrill, of Darksville, Randolph County, Mo.
 It was agreed that the child should be taken to Joshua A. Terrills, and the stone applied.
 Accordingly next day Mrs. Roberts and her Son took her little daughter to Glasgow, where the ston5 was applied to the wound, and adhered very readily. Owing to sickness in MT. Terrill's fam fly, they returned sooner than antici- pated. They were permitted to bring the stone home with them. In the meantime MT. Roberts had gone to Darksville, in this county and procured the mad stone owned by Dr. Terrill. I have been permitted to handle and apply both of them, They are very dlssimilar. The Glasgow stone is very black, and seems to occupy an interme- diate stage in the mineral kingdom between anthracite and graphite. 1t is compact, hard and smooth on all except one side, which is rough, showing the characteristic fracture of brittle wood. It is about the size of the thumb nail and is fragment of what vas once a large stone. The history given of this stone is, that it was brought from Africa by an old negress who kept it about her person. As her jargon was unintelli- gibie to those who bought her, it's vir- tues were unknown until fellow scr. want was bitten by rattlesnake. The old negress applied the stone and the negro recovered. The other stone is porus, of 6 specific gravity a little heavier than water, a light gray and very rough. The stones resemble each other in one important particular. They are both of vegetable origin. As pre- vlously said, the Glasgow stone resem- bling graphite; the Darksville stone appears to have corte from some cone- bearing plant the pores and cells, and fracture corresponding admirably with that class of vegetation.
 Wonderful cures, performed by these stones, are reported. Rattlesnake bites have been cured repeatedly, one party coming all the way from Kentucky to be treated after the worse effects of the bite had been overcome with whisky. Another person came from Texas to Glasgow to be treated for the bite of a tarantula. Numerous persons in this county have been treated for dog bites. One case in which sheep and hog and man were bitten by the same dog. The sheep and hog died of hydrophobia. The man applied the mad stone and is still living.
 One thing is certain, these stones adhere readily to 8 wound of poison ous nature, and drop off when they can absorb no more. When immersed in cold water or milk, in some cases the water or milk is colored green, in others little bubbles rise and float upon the water. If the wound is not poisonous they do not adhefe.
 Concerning their efficacy I am not prepared to state. The reported cases of cures are given by the owners ol these stones, who are among the most reliable citizens of this portion of oul State. A large class of people in this county believe they are certain means of cure. But is known fact to our pro- fession that but small proportion ol those bitten by mad-dogs are attacked with hydrophobia. It Is not certain that mental conditions do not contribute largely to the attacks of this disease and it may be these stones are beRe- icial by assisting to bring the mind into such state, that it does not feal any future bad results from such wounds. It Is, however, 8 matter of in terest, for these stones have been in the possession of these families for years, and are handed down as heir-lo6ms from one generation to another.
 H. M. BAsKETT, M. D.
 Randolph County, Mo.