The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-18
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
THE "MAD STONE"
July I5TH IA

July 10TH, 1885.
Editors Union AT Waterford, Mississippi. on
the Illinois Central Railroad, there lives GENTLE
man who owns stone which possesses the won
derful power of extracting the poison impaired
through the bites of mad dogs, rattle snakes, etc.
Many persons throughout Mississippi and sur
rounding States can testify to cures made by the
application of this stone, even five or six DAYS
after the patient had been bitten This fact IL
worthy of notice. rs it affords ample time to reach
Waterford from almost any part Of the United
States, though, of course, tho earlier the appica
ton the easier the cure or surer the prevention
The stone is said to adhere readily to the wound,
if used promptly, but after much delay requires to
be bound to the bitten place till it becomes satra
ted with the poison. IL is then placed in tepid
water or milk, which soon becomes filed with an
ugly green scum. This Is buried for fear of in
juring animals or people, and the stone again ap.
piled to each wound as often as necessary--that
is, until it fails to draw more poison, when it is
considered as having accomplished its work.
Your correspondent was, about five years ago,
visiting in the village Of Raymond, Mississippi,
when rabid dog bit poor little boy in fully ton
places. The physicians cautorized oil the wounds,
ridiculng the idea Of taking the child to tho "mad
stone;" but after waiting nearly three days the
mother decided to make tho experiment The
owner of the stone said that although il was ono
of the worst cases ever brought to him he would
apply the stone. The child was under treatment
for, think, two weeks, the gentleman first tear.
ing the cauterized skin from each wound before
binding on the stone He said the use Of caustic
was very injurious, as it sealed up the openings,
thereby preventing even nature from discharging
any of the poison. The child has been perfectly
well ever since and in excellent physical condi-
ton when l saw him this spring.
The mother informed us that the of the
stone had told her it was struggled out of the
Chinese Empire by some of his ancestors years
I'D ho, r.
sissippi, that he had important law suit before
securing the stone, so valuable was it considered.
1t seems that this stone is the only known remedy
for the bite of very venomous reptile peculiar to
China, hence the removal of one was forbidden by
the Emperor.
Knowing these facts and believing it to be the
only hope of sure and permanent cure for the
bite of n mad dog, have long been anxious to
have them published, and thank you earnestly for
the offer to place them before the public in your
popular journal. Then, too, have great desire
to know and to have others know if there are any
stones of this kind in Maryland. Can you
not ask in this connection that any one who knows
the whereabouts of such stone will give, through
your paper the name and address the of possessor
and as much of its history as can be relied upon !?
regret that cannot now recall the name of
the owner of the one herein mentioned; but it is
so we'll known in Mississippi that he could not
fail to be found by patient who would go direct
y to the little town of Waterford, the Illinois
Central Railroad.
Trusting some one may find comfort and bene-
fit from what have collected in regard to this
wonderful remedy, am
Yours truly and respectfully,
THE above, which was written by an intelligent
lady who would not assert anything that is not
strictly true, is well worthy of consideration If
our exchanges will copy the article they may
Al. &c
their readers and its publication may result in
finding a "mad stone" nearer than the one referred
to. We have implicit confidence in what our cor
respondent says and can therefore commend her
statement to the press of the country.-EDs.]