New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-10
MALAY "SNAKE STONES"
AN ENGLISH WRITER SAYS THEY ARE AT
LEAST OF USE IN RELIEVING WOUNDS
INFLICTED BY FISHES.

Letter In Nature.
a good many years ago, when seabathing in
the Old Straits of Singapore g. e. those separat-
ing the island from the Malay Peninsua), l put
my foot in slight muddy hollow in the sandy
seabed; the moment l did I received
agonzing stab near the ankle (from red
| hot poisoned blade. it seemed). which drove me
| in hot haste ashore. where Malay constable,
on hearing what had happened and on examin-
ing the wound, pronounced my assailant to be
the '1kan Sembiang' (sembilang fish, PlOtOSuS
canus, one of the siluroids, l am informed by
Mr.. Boulenger, Of the British Museum The fish
is armed with three powerful spines on the
head one projecting perpendicularly from the
top. and one projecting horizontally from each
side
The Malay lost no time in running to the bar
racks near by, whence he shortly returned with
little round Sharcoal-ke stone about the size
of small marble. This he pressed on to the
wound. to which it adhered. and remained there
by itself, without any continuation of pressure.
for a minute or more. Then ii fell Off and black
blood began to flow which, after little,
succeeded by blood of normal color. The pain,
which had been excessively acute, began to di-
minish soon after this. and in an hour had
no further trouble. but a fortnight afterward L
noticed hole about the size of a pea where
the wound had been
Another gentleman who, CurOuSly enough,
had suffered in the same way in another part
of Singapore the same day, was not so fortu-
nate in his cure. being completely laid up for
six weeks.
The black stone applied by the Malay to the
wound came he alleged from the head of
snake, and claimed. therefore, to be a bezoar
stone. 1t was, doubt, snake stone, proba-
bly, made Of charred bone. and therefore porous
in character, which would account for the ad-
hesive and absorptive powers 1t displayed IN
my case
In his "Thanatophidia of India" Sir j Fayrer
Quoted by Yule in 'Hobson- JobSon') expresses
entire disbelief in the efficacy of these stones as
remedies lin the case Of the real bite OF deadly
snake" owing to the extreme rapidity with
which in such case the venom peryades the
system
However this may be. the late Professor Fara-
Of Of ct
supplied by Sir Emerson Tennent quoted by
Yule) credits it with certain absorbent powers,
and it would seem pity that the undouDteu
value of such stones. at all events IN minor
cases. where they may save a great deal OF SUI
fering Should be discredited.
Another remedy, considered of some value by
Malays for the stab of Plotosus canius is the
sap of Henslowia lobbana, which grows freely
on the coasts of the Malay peninsula
Among other marine offenders or TINS CLASS
dreaded by Malays are several varieties or the
skate or sting ray, "pari as they are generlcti-
ly called, and some OF the !epu; oi MinCn
only dangerous one. l have MI Bouiensers au-
thority for saying, is the iepu proper, w
Synancia horrida, When the skate reaIh2s
large size ne will drag hshermans canoe d
long way. .
Among the Medusae one much dreaded is
known as "ampai" from its long fr1nSeS. me
effects unless a remedy can speedily be FOUND
are painful and trying to a degree, seeming 10
penetrate the whole frame as it were electrlc-
ally at once specially affecting the seat OF any
ailment and even the teeth and the hair
have never suffered from ii myself. put am en-
abled TO speak TO these points from t"o Eases
which came under my personal observation
valuable remedy for this sting, II applied Sooii'
is the juice Of the young fruit of the papaw
(CariCa papaya).
4 further illustration Of the value OF some ma
tive remedies is supplied by case which oc-
CURED some years ago at Malacca- uurihS NY
residence there though 1 cannot state what the
remedies employed were.
A youna, gentleman in the office OF the tele-
graph company went out TO battle in the sea one
night from the end of the pier TN any case
a rash proceeding. If only for the occisIoilti,
nrescnce of crocodiles) when he found hlnnseit
in the embrace of some creature with long ten
tacles from which, after desperate S,l use.." ,
DO ntcntuaIIv succeeded in freeing his legs and
his arms and In rcgaiuing the pier. The coiohlai
surgeon could do nothing for him. ana ne vas
in such fortunes that for time he seeheu to
have lost his mental balance. but nine or ten
DAVIS after the occurrence = native prdctitioi'Sf'
being called in. cured him conhpeteiy'
NOW A MOUNTAIN LION CARRIES A DEER.