The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-11-29
Dissecting a Maidstone.

A number of intelligent ladies and
gentlemen assembled at the tent of
Gen. Hunt, in Summerville, several
years ago, to witness what is seldom
seen in America or any other country
the cutting and dissecting of a bezoar,
or medicine stone, says the Atlanta
Constitution. AT the appointed hour
the Deaut1fur gem WIS pfaced on une
table, inspected, and admired by all
present. Prof. Holmes then gave
short description of the bezoars found
in eastern countries, comparing them
with those of America, or, more prop
erly, of South Carolina. The name
bezoar was, he said, derived from the
Persian words ''pa Zahar," which sig
nifies, against poison. In the east
they are called medicine stones; in
Africa hag stones or charm stones.
The specimen exhibited on this occa-
sion was about the size of a large egg
of the domestic fowl, of mottled vel
low color, with a tint of brown, having
its.entire surface highly polished. The
polish is natural, caused by the action
of the muscles of the stomach of the
animal upon each layer of mineral
matter deposited.
With a very fine and highly tempered
saw it was then carefully cut longitude
nally through the middle, which took
but few minutes. During the cutting
some little excitement was evinced as
to what the nucleus or contents of the
stone would prove to be, which excite
ment was somewhat heightened when
it was announced that the cutting was
successfully accomplished. All pres
ont fo h1,t
ventured. The two sides were kept in
contact for minute or two before ex-
posing the interior.
Prof. Holmes had intimated that the
| nucleus would probably be of woody
| shaking the stone, a rattling noise
could be distinctly heard. He sup
| posed this was caused by shrinkage of
| CURED ifit had been mineral substance
Upon opening the bezoar the nucleus
proved to be a large and perfect acorn,
which several gentlemen present i'm
mediately recognized as that of the
covered by four layers of lamine of a
mineral substance composed generally
of phosphates and carbonate of lime
and iron and some silex. The mold of
the acorn is very perfect, having all
| the external markings of the fruit
| There are two impressions, apparently
made by the teeth of the animal be-
fore swallowing the nut. Acorns are
| favorite food of Carolina deer. Dur
! ing the autumnal months their tracks
are almost always to be found under
the oaks of the forest which have
| borne acorns.
This is the third specimen of bezoar
that has been cut and examined by
Prof. Holmes, and, we believe, the only
ones ever dissected in America. The
| nucleus found in the first bezoar was a
! fiattened ball or buckshot, with q frag-
ment of skin and few hairs. The
animal had undoubtedly been wounded
about six years before it was killed
There were six layers of lamin1 of
mineral matter surrounding the buck
| shot. The second bezoar cut con-
tanned pebble of quartz.
Dr. A.. r. Alley says: ''These stones,
| called mad-stoneS, are nothing more or
less than concretion found in the
stomachs of deers, which has been
carefully analysed by scientific men of
the highest attainments. The said
stones or concretions are composed of
phosphate and carbonate of lime and
iron and silex or silica, having no di-
rect power or affinity for extracting
| poison l would further state few
years ago that Prof. Holmes, of South
Carolina, noted scientist, in the pres
ence of Interested parties, carefully
and absolutely demonstrated the truth
and virtue of this so-called maidstone
to be mythical, better known as bezoar,
being a Persian name derived from the
word pa-zahar, which signifies against
poisons, and no work ancient or mod
ern on the subject differs. They all
agree that the maidstone is nothing
but the concretion found in the deer,
having no medicinal virtues"