Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-22


sons Bitten by venoinous Creatures.
st. Louis Republic.
Ben r. Spradley,, an attache of the |
st, Louis Sanitarium, has one of the |
most curious, and what he asserts to |
be one of the most useful and valuable |
of articles. 1t is Chinese snake stone |
and there is said to be but one other |
in the country. Indeed, the one in |
Mr.. Spradley's possession is but half a |
one, the original having been cut in |
two by Mr. Spradley and half of it |
given to a friend. The stone looks
like piece Of oblong camel coal, and
is about one-eighth of an inch in
thickness, three-eighths Of an inch
wide and half an inch long. 1t is
as light as piece OF cork, possesses a !
polished surface, and can be easily cut
with knife. 1t is not stone, in
the proper sense Of the word, but is a
manufactured article and is porous.
To cure SNAKE bites or poisonous
wounds of similar nature with the
stone the wound must first be scarified
Then the stone is applied to the wound.
Each morning and evening 1T is taken
off and put into glass of lukewarm
water to remain few minutes until
it discharges the poison it has absorbed.
utus dIltT lnt NOuIlu UdS Dtbu WdsutN
in strong solution of salt water and
again scarified, the stone, which in
| the meantime has been rubbed in
warm ashes until dry, is again applied.
II this treatment is kept up for nine
days and the patient abstains during
that time from spurious liquors,
cure is assured.
81 secured the stone,'' said Mr..
Spradley, from my father more than
30 years ago. He got it from James
j. Parker, the man who made it.
From 1874 to 1877 / was with the party
which was putting through the Texas
Pacific railroad, and during that time
cured several of the party who were
bitten by ratters and other poisonous
snakes, | have frequently loaned the
stone TO friends and | cut the original
in two, giving half of it to particular
friend of mine. / have not used the
stone for some time, but am ready to
give test of its merits at any time. -
Following are some excerpts from
written history of the stone, in the
possession of Mr.. Spradley:
This remedy for the prevention Of
hydrophobia and cure of the bites and
stings of all poisonous reptiles and
insects was obtained by my father, who
was a sea captain 40 years ago, from
an old schoolmate of his who was also
a captain of ship, and engaged in
the China trade. He also obtained
full directions for making the same.
He said the captain told him that be
obtained it from a Chinese juggler,
who frequently exhibited poisonous
, snakes, and would even allow them to
bite him, for the qualification of his
| nI1Hinnnn unA fbpf, ut,v1lxr {. Fia al
the stone, without receiving the least
injury. The said captain, by paying
the iuggler literally, and agreeing moi
to make any for sale in China, obtained
the recipe for making. This remedy
/ was applied by my father and mother
to more than 200 persons within a lapse
of 40 years, and never failed in a
single instance to effect cure. -
Attached to this written history,
which is signed by James j. Parker,
Cabin Point, Surry county, Va, is q
) certificate Of cures performed by meant
of the stone by Parker's mother, which
is signed by 26 citizens of Cabin Point,
: the certificate reading as follows:
1--WE, the undersigned citizens Of
Cabin Point, County of Surry and
State of Virginia, do confidently be
lieve the snake stone in the possession
of James j. Parker to be infallible az
a preventive of hydrophobia and cur,
for all bites of poisonous character,
we having known and heard of persons
who were unquestionably bitten by dog
and poisonous reptiles, who have mac
visited this great remedy with never
failing success. "
OF the 90 signers of the certificate
Mr.. Spradley says all are now deac
except one-a Mr.. j. Deal, who live
in Pennsylvania.