In the early years of 1800 Captain
Samuel Pointer, a Virginian, enter¬
tained a traveling merchant from
India. This merchant, grateful for
the hospitality extended him in this
house while he was a stranger passing
through Virginia, expressed his grati¬
tude with a parting gift to Captain
Pointer.
He gave him a stone and told him
to apply it and guaranteed that he
would never lose a case of rabies if
he would follow directions.
Captain Pointer thought little of the
value of the stone, nor was his faith
in its medicinal qualities too firm, lint
several years later during the War of
1812 a favorite horse used in the serv¬
ice was bitten by a rabid dog. He was
asked to apply the stone to the
wounded horse. The horse was the
only animal that lived, while several
other animals that had been bitten by
the dog died.
Thus faith in the magic stone, since
designated as the "India Stone." was
established. When Captain Samuel
Pointer died. Green Williams. Joseph
Pointer, and Haywood Williams bought
the stone, possibly at a very high price
since it was bought in partnership.
When the stone left the hands of these
three men. Samuel Pointer, a grand¬
son of Captain Samuel Pointer, and
son of Joseph Pointer, bought a three-
fourth interest in it and George Bar-
nette a one-fourth interest.
The stone from henceforth has had
its abode and use in Person County.
When Samuel Pointer died in 1914
he gave his three-fourths part of the
sione to his four daughters Sue. Mary
Eliza, Kate and Emily. The other
fourth, now owned by Irving H. Bar¬
nette of California, a son of George
Barnette, was bought by Sue. the eldest
and blind daughter.
Of the four sisters, only "Miss Kate"
survives. Sealed in her cheerful apart¬
ment talking about this almost magic
article brings back many interesting
memories. She recalls that as a child
people came for seventy-five to a hun¬
dred miles and camped in their yard
to receive treatment. Her father
1«юк
patients as in a hospital but people,
with communication as it was. did not
know conditions, and took no chances
on being turned away. He charged one
hundred dollars a patient. The type
of bite determined how long the stone
stuck. The stone was removed from
6
Madstone
Karo relic* of early days
of medicine is given to
museum.
By Miltlred S'. Hichols
Miss Kate Pointer
the wound every three hours and
soaked in lukewarm water. When it
no longer stuck the patient was dis¬
charged. In later years Mr. Pointer
and his daughters made a twcnty-dol-
lar charge instead of one hundred
dollars.
As "Miss Kate" recalls her father's
love for the stone, which through its
many years of use came to be known
as the "India Madstone," she said.
"No diamond could have been guarded
more closely." Once when everyone
was leaving home it was placed in a
trunk and hidden in the woods near
the home lest fire or other harm might
come to it. "My father loved it better
than lie did his children."
The stone in the course of years
has been chipped and broken in three
places. It is black and slick on one
side. For a hundred years it was kept
in a tin cap box. tied in a piece of
calico. If the wound was small, one
piece would do. if large, all three pieces
were used. Some people had no idea
as to the size of the stone — at times
if the patient was very ill Mr. Pointer
carried the treatment to the patient.
A servant was sent once to help bring
the stone.
Testimonials were given by citizens
of Person County who had known of
the medicinal value of the stone.
Among these "Miss Kate" recalls those
of J. W. Younger and Jack Pass, then
clerk of the court.
It has been about thirty years now
since the stone has been used. After
the father's death, the Pointer girls
carried on the work for a number of
years until their ranks thinned and
the modern method of treatment with
anti-rabies vaccine became the stand¬
ard form of treatment.
Following the years after the stone
was laid aside. Roxboro and Per¬
son County began to expand. The
Pointer home and plantation was in a
strategic position. The Madstone not
only was no longer a physical neces¬
sity, but likewise was no longer a fi¬
nancial need. Today Pointer Street is
a thriving suburb thoroughfare, and
the old Pointer home. "Pointer Vista."
happily is situated on Hospital Road
which leads to Person County's mod¬
ern hospital.
The occasion for this story at this
particular time is that this celebrated
"India Madstone" is again changing
hands — through Dr. G. W. Gentry,
who is an alumnus of the Medical
School of the University of North Caro¬
lina. "Miss Kate" is giving this be¬
loved family relic to the medical de¬
partment of the university to be placed
in the museum that future generations
may know of some of the lost arts of
medical history.
THEN THEY REBELLED
A1\D GOT W'MJPPED
I know of a county, and perhaps
you do. too. that went for Fountain
in 1932, for Dr. Ralph McDonald in
1936, for Wilkins P. Horton in 1940.
and for McDonald again in 1944.
By 1948, having suffered, bled and
died, they cried out. "Boys, we've had
enough. We're tired of grabbing aholt
of the dirty end of the stick. This time
we arc going to play it right."
You guessed it. They went straight
dow n the line for Charlie Johnson play¬
ing it right. They say as the votes
rolled in from across the state the
night of the run-off, a half-dozen of
them half-threatened to shoot them¬
selves, two dozen more had nervous
breakdowns; and three of the leaders
nearly choked to death on tobacco
juice as Johnson conceded defeat. —
Kidd Brfavp.r's column.
THE STATE. March 20. 1954
