Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-28
The Maidstone rs a Curative Agent.
To Me Elpor of Me D.spalci

Noticing some inquiries IN your Ques-
tions and Answers columns OF last sun
DAVIS issue relative 10 Madsiones." beg
leave TO submit the following which copy
from a book in my possession. ana whlch
NAV give your inqu rers and others some
more light on the subject.
The book Ia made no OF collection OF
Advertised Wonders" and recipes OF va
rious kinds and on various matters.
The book goes on 10 give the various re-
cipes as advertised and sold by various
concerns throughout the country, and then
| at the conclusion of each recipe the pun
Usher OF the book gives has oirn views on
each article and states bis opiniol whether
or not he thinks the recipe to be good
| one.
The item on Madstones reads thus:
Glow 10 lind. how 10 prepare, and how 10
use the great natural remedy for pites OF
poisonous or rabid animals. There are
| several pOssessOrs of what are called
'madstones,' and each of these persons Is
regarded as peculiarly fortunate to pos
| seas the article. which has in many cases
| been handed down from generation TO
generation or has been purchased az
| high price. The wonders achieved by
such stones have many witnesses IN their
respective sections and single little
stone has yielded its owner a handsome
| income. as persons bitten by snakes. mad
| dogs. etc, will readily pay ~ TO $40
merely to be allowed TO apply the marvel.
lous stone TO the wound. The finding Of
| these stones has been so far mere chance.
| propose TO tell how they can be OBJ
tanned with greater certainty. In nearly
every section there IS what u known as
red shale' or red shell and also Of a
darker color. q nearly black variety OF
similar rocks. Among specimens OF Ooth
these minerals will be found occasionally
| one very porous or absorbent. Try one OF
| these on the tongue. When one IL found
that will adhere strongly 1t is suitable TO
| use. In this way several specimens have
| been found which on comparison proved
exactly like the famous one owned by the
Pointer family of Halifax county. Va. Tor
| fifty years and performing many cures.
! Should Won have any difficulty in finding
any of these natural madstOnes' / have
| learned how artificial ones NAV be manu-
featured. possessing equal value; indeed.
| such IS the secret OF the great East IN
dian "pamboo-kaloo remedy in cases
of wounds by venomous serpents, OF
| which are gwen many well-authenticsted
instances OF Its virtue when the patient
was bitten by the deadly cobra d. cdpeio.
The stone is intensely black and highly
polished. and, being porous. rapidly I'M
bibes the blood and with 1t the poison.
The stone adlieres for few minutes,
like the mad stone" then drops of.
Analysis of one of these has shown II Is a
piece of charred bone, evidence OF wnlch
is afforded both by the aperture OF cells or
tubes on its surface and By the fact that IT
exhibits an organic structure within.
When heated water and ammonia escape,
and finally the carbon burns away. leaving
white ash, which is phosphate OF
limo The snake-charmers from the
coast also visit Cey lon proper to, prepare
the snake stories themselves and to pre-
serve the composition secret; the manu-.
facture of them IS lucrative trade carried
on by the monks of Manila. who supply
the merchants Of India. The Mexicsns
| also. have snake-stone, piedrd ponsond,
| which is substantially the same IA those
mentioned above. 10 make 1t 1t is only
necessary to procure sound. solid piece
of horn (harts's horn is considered best
and roast slowly until thoroughly charred
throughout. This is the whole secret Of
making. and the product will be found To
have all the merits possessed by any
already celebrated for their cures. III
using either the natural or artincial th'
"stone" must be slightly moistened with
either water or saliva, or what would be
eyeL better a little spirits of hartshorn
The stone IS TO be then pressed into thu
wound and allowed 10 adhere until II
drops of. Cures are reported IN even
severe cases in from eight to twelve hours
One, to my knowledge, applied IN case
of a bite by a copperhead snake aud eff
fected a complete cure in twelve hours
The patient was very sick and delirious.
The publisher of the book comments or
the above as follows: That recovery has
followed in numerous instances after the
application of such stones, or prepared
horn, to bites of supposed poisonous rep
tiles and rabd animals. is unquestionable
Probably in many Of these, especially th'
mad animals. the poisoning was largely
IMAGINATIVE. The absorbent qualities OF
the Stone in other cases would be sufficient
TO draw out the poison. Faith In then
should not. however, prevent resort tt
nroper medical aid. That persons are ant
Will be ready TO pay eagerly tor thes'
trl6es and TO testify to their wonders II
certain"
Having exhausted my source of informa
ton on the subject of mad-stones." and
trusting the same may throw more llgh
upon the minds Of your inquirers-J. A
II. and A Reader-I leave the matter To-
them to ponder, but | shall not be
come mad If some one of more intellec
and with more information at hand shall
produce better stone than those above
mentioned. Yours, JANIS L. Ashley.
[The DIsPATcH's views as to mad
stonesp are to be found in our issue o
February q, 1921