“Such is all that we remember concerning the mad-stone.”
As a pendant, we give a “slip” from the Richmond (Virginia) Penny Post for August 12, 1854. The description, if it may be so called, of the stone referred to is remarkable: “as large as a piece of chalk,” and “almost indescribable:”
“An article which we inserted in the Penny Post some two months ago, has elicited remarks from the press in every quarter. We know from facts in our possession, that we were ‘rectus in curia.’ Mr. W. Bradly, who resides some half mile from the city, has left at our office the genuine Simon Pure mad-stone, which can be examined by the curious. We understand from Mr. Bradly that this stone has been in the Bradly family for more than one hundred years; and we are informed by gentlemen of intelligence from the counties of Orange, Green, Culpepper and Madison that they are cognizant of more than fifty cures of mad-dog bites, snake and spider bites. This is a most valuable discovery, and one which ought to be generally known. We mentioned facts some time since, with regard to Sale’s mad-stone, located in Caroline County, which excited only a sneer from the press; none are so blind as those who will not see. We who write this happen to know facts connected with this matter, and we have faithfully given them. This stone is rather a curious-looking affair; it is about as large as a piece of chalk, perfectly porous, and truth to say, almost indescribable. When applied to the wound either of a snake or mad-dog bite, it will draw until all its pores are saturated, then drop off, and if placed in warm water will soon disgorge and then be ready for action again. We shall keep this stone in our office for several days for the inspection of the curious. It ought to be purchased by the city for the use of the public. We understand that Mr. Bradly will sell it for $5,000; if it saves one valuable life, it will be cheap at double that price.”
In connection with this, we add a letter from the Macon Journal and Messenger, (August, 1854:)
A Tale for the Curious.—We received the following communication from Major J. D. Wilkes, of Dooly County. He is a highly respectable citizen, well known to us, and we feel no hesitation in assuring the public that he would make no statements which were not fully reliable.
“Editors of the Journal and Messenger:
“Permit me to lay before your readers a few facts which may furnish matter of speculation for the curious, but may be doubted by some or ridiculed by others. They are, nevertheless, strictly true. Some twelve years ago I went out with a party on a deer hunt, and shot down a fine buck. While dressing him, I cut up the haslet for my hounds, and in doing so, I cut out a stone of dark greenish color, about where the windpipe joins the lights. It was from an inch and a half to two inches long, and quite heavy for its size, although it appears to be porous. I have heard of such stones from old hunters, and that they possessed the faculty of extracting poison, and other medical virtues, but they were seldom found. They were called beasle or bezoar stones. I have been a frontier man and killed many a deer, but have never found another of the same kind. I laid it by more as a matter of curiosity than having any faith in its virtues.
“On the 12th ult. I had a favorite dog bitten on the nose by a large rattlesnake. The dog at once commenced reeling and fell down. I was within a few feet of him, and immediately (as the only remedy at hand) forced a chew of tobacco down his throat. I got him home very soon and dissolved some alum, but found his jaws nearly set. I forced open his mouth, and poured it down his throat. I then recollected seeing in your paper of the 5th ult. the description of a stone and its virtue in extracting poison, in possession of some family in Virginia, which stone, I presume, was similar to the one I had taken from the deer. I got a bowl of warm water and applied the stone to the place bitten, and then dropped it into the water, when I could see a dirty, dark green substance shooting out of it. This I repeated three times with a similar result. The fourth time it seemed to show that all the poison had been extracted. In less than a minute the dog got up, vomited up the tobacco, and the swelling subsided immediately. In less than two hours he was perfectly well, and eating any thing that was offered him.
“Now I will not decide which of the three remedies—the tobacco, the alum or the stone—cured the dog; but from the fact that he was immediately cured on the application of the stone, should reasonably weigh in favor of that remedy. In the article published in your paper it is remarked that ‘We are not aware that the existence of such is known to the scientific world at all,’ and it is spoken of as its origin being a mystery, and wholly unknown. Now, will not the above facts reveal the mystery of their origin? I have now several highly respectable neighbors who were with me when I obtained the stone. I live about nine miles east of Montezuma, in Dooly County, where it may be seen or the use of it obtained, by any one who may need it.
“J. D. Wilkes.”