The Bezoar Stone has been a Natural Remedy for Centuries
Have you ever heard of a bezoar stone or a mad stone? This home remedy was used for centuries to heal, although it’s not a common practice today.
A mad stone (aka a bezoar stone) is used to draw poison out of bites and wounds. It works by absorbing the poison bit by bit, curing the bites by detoxifying them completely.
- Mad stones can be found in the stomach or intestines of cud-chewing animals.
- Depending on the animal, the stone may be more potent and valuable; for example, the stone of a brown deer is said to be inferior to that of a white deer.
- Mad stones are not to be bought or sold; such interaction may negate their healing powers.
Naturally, the effectiveness of mad stones has long been in dispute. Can cosmic healing powers really reside in the intestine of a cow? There is only one way to know for sure …
Read Next
Please Pass the Bezoar Stone
Want to try a mad stone? The challenge is getting a hold of one—since they can’t be purchased for money. We advise traveling to the home of a stone’s owner.
If you have experience with mad stones, please share your story or your stone in the box below.
Catherine Boeckmann
I had actually never heard of a mad stone until I saw an episode of Death Valley Days on STARZ Western's channel, which let me to search the Internet and I found this article. I'll definitely be looking for one in every deer hunt from now on!
FYI: Death Valley Days, Season 9, Episode 18. First aired on Wednesday, January 18, 1961.
I just watched this episode and had to look it up. Very interesting.
FYI, I have just learned from a hunter here in Montana that the mad stones of Bison are considerably larger than those of deer.
All the best,
Bob
Uncle Charlie had an older brother named Samuel Clyde Taylor who was red headed and called Red Taylor. I met him at Smith’s Grocery store in the fork of highways 221 and 49 in Laurens County, SC one day in 1964. Uncle Clyde told me that he had a horrible tooth ache. When I asked him why he did not get it pulled, he said the sign was in the head. He followed the zodiac signs in the Farmer’s Almanac and said he had to wait until the sign was in the foot. He believed a pulled tooth would bleed too much if the sign was in the head. He suffered with the tooth for several more months and when the sign moved to the foot, he had it pulled.
Another great tale, Ron! We are delighted to see that people continue to practice traditional ways, in choosing the “best day” (see here for more: http://www.almanac.com/bestdays/timetable) and the best method, exemplified by your tale of the mad stone, below. Thanks for sharing!
The Mad Stone
Franklin Callaway Taylor was bad to pet stray dogs. One hot summer day in Laurens County, SC he ran up Highway 49 and tried to pet a stray. The dog bit him on his arm and he ran back to the house. The dog was rabid and chased the other children into the house. Their father, Robert Whitner Taylor, saw the bite and tried to kill the dog but it escaped. The year was around 1910. Robert Whitner hitched up the wagon and he and Uncle Charlie rode to Maddens Station where Mose Madden lived. Robert asked Mose for his mad stone. A mad stone is a black stone taken from a deer’s intestine. Robert Whitner took the mad stone home and rubbed it on Frank’s dog bite several times. They watched Frank for several days and because he showed no signs of rabids, Robert Whitner returned the mad stone to Mose Madden. Uncle Frank lived to be 73 years old and lived a healthy life.
Great story, Ron! Thanks so much for sharing it. A story about madstones appeared in thr 2010 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. We here had never heard of it before then, but stories like yours further endorse its credibility among old-time country cures. Thanks again for taking the time to write!
Jack Kutz included in his 1994 book, Mysteries & Miracles of Texas, a chapter called Madstone Magic, which cites several uses of the stone in the 1880s to save several lives. In each incident, the description of how the stone was used is given.
Madstones. Thanks for sharing this, Doris. It is gratifying and exciting to see these endorsements of the madstone—its powers but also its presence in American legend and lore. We had a sliver of skepticism when we first heard about it as a story pitch for the contributor who wrote about it for the 2010 Almanac; no more of that! She and you folks make a strong case for the authenticity of and faith in it. Thanks for taking the time to write!
Mad stones should be preferably, something that you receive in trade. Mad stones given is the other. If mad stones are ever stolen - the theif who pocesses the stones, by bad karma, will never have good fortune or good health again.
