Year: 1872

Its History and Healing Virtues.


There is a Maidstone in possession
of a citizen Of .Ehzabethtowp, Ken
tucky, and n h Nr,cs Of tnat place
gives the following description and
history of it:


The impressiontSehorally frgyails
that it is u natural stone, n pebble,
which is thought to be strongly pos
sessed Of myterious powers; others
again have the idea that tits a cal
culus taken from the bladder of the
wild deer, and having a magical in
iluence in counteracting the virus of
all poisonous animals But it claims
to be simply chemical composition


a Chinese production as is shown
10y the labels upon the box contain
ing it. 1t was originally the size and
shape of q silver dollar, only little
thicker-but it has been broken into
a number of small pieces. the larg-
est of which is about the size Of Il
hazel nut. Its color is Of dark dull,
greenish chameleon, not unlike in
general appearance the stone known
as serpentine.


When applied directly to the
wound, il there represent yedom of
any kind--for it is eficacious against
the bite Of poisonous animals-it is
at once adheres with considerable
force and begins to draw the poison
from the vain. When full of the
poison it ceases SO adhere and it is
necessary to purge it thoroughly,
which is done by placing it in hot
water and roasting it in hot ashes,
When in hot water the venom can
be seen rising from the "stone" and
settling in thick, ropy groenish
scum upon the surface of the water.
After it has been cleansed in this
manner, which must be done at least
once in every twenty-four hours, it
is again applied, and so on from day
to day until it ceases to a dhere.


1t sticks from five to twelve days,
according to the amount Of poison
received into the system. Persons
having it applied have described its
action by saying that they felt that
thousands of strong threads extend
ing throughout the whole body were
being drawn out at the wound.


1t has been in possession of the
family, now holding it, for several
generations, and came to them in
this wise:


A traveller, who proved to be a
sea captain, claiming hospitality for
the night at the door of Virginia
gentleman, fell sick and was danger
ously i'll for many weeks. The gen
tleman of the household was ine
physician, being a graduate of the
best schools of Paris, and through
his skill and kind attention, the sick
man was restored to health. When
about to resume his journey he
sought to rcnumerate his kind host,
first by tender of money, then by
offer cf valuable presents-all Of
which was refused. He then pro-
ducel this "stone," saying, "Here is
something which cost me only a
trile in China and yet it may be Of
great service to you; surely you can
not refuse to accept it. 1t was ac-
coptcd, and the package wss thrown
aside as being simply curious on ac-
count Of the strange characters it
bore. Sometime afterwards, this
gentleman, being out upon his plan
tation, when his negroes were clear
ing the timber away and seeing them
catch a rattle snake bethought him
of his "stone' and determined to
test his claims. Ho took the stone,
placed it upon the glands of the
snake, and after retaining it there
for some time, to the very great dis
comfture of the reptile, he placed it
in hot water, rs hehad been directed;
the result was as given above. He
ubjeted the matter which accumU..
lated on the water to variety Of
tests, which satisfied him that it was
indeed the vonom of the snake. He
made many experiments with it on
the bite Of spiders and other venom
GUS insects and reptiles, before he
had an opportunity of testing it up
on that of the snake or rabid dog.
Suffice it to say that he was ful :,
convinced that it is an efectual ore
ventive of all injurious effects follow
ing the bite Of poisonous animals
and since that time it mas been frs
quently used and con fdently relied
upon as such by all conversant with
these facts. 1t has lIeen rcsorted tc
by three generations, and has beer
used within the knowledge of those
now living upon more than q hun.
dred persons bittep by every charac.
ter of rabid animal--no one to whom
it has been applied has ever after