Madstone

A madstone is a object of folk medicine that is believed to have the healing properties of preventing rabies and other poisons from causing harm. A madstone generally is about the size of an egg and is made of hair or other material that accumulates and hardens in the stomach of animals, such as deer. Madstones are unique in appearance, being both glossy and porous.

In April 1869, Apostle George Q. Cannon officially endorsed this form of magical folk medicine in the Deseret News. Cannon commented in the publication that he had a visitor who owned a madstone:

“We are converted [to] the efficacy of the mad-stone in curing the bites of mad dogs, cats, snakes, spiders, or other venomous animals or insects.”

Madstones had very strict folk magical rules that had to be followed in order that the medicinal aspect of the object would work. For example they could not be purchased for money, the owner could not charge money for it’s use, and they must be passed on from father to son. Certain stones were thought to be more potent or effective than others. A stone from an albino deer is more effective than a stone from a brown deer for example.

The procedure for using a stone was as follows:

• The patient would go to the owner of the madstone
• The madstone would be boiled in sweet milk until soft
• The madstone would be applied to the wound and would apparently stick
• The madstone would “draw the poison out” and fall off
• The stone would be boiled again
• The process would be repeated until it would no longer stick to the wound. At this point it was believed all the poison was removed.