The madstone is popularly supposed to be an accretion found somewhere in the system of a white stag.

It is of a porous nature, and if applied to a fresh wound will extract and absorb the poison serum.

Texans swear that it "sticks" only if there be poison present--does not stick otherwise.

A fanciful suggestion! And yet, no doubt, the skunk does sometimes convey hydrophobia through its bite.

I have myself often had the pleasant experience of feeling and knowing that a skunk was crawling over my carefully-covered-up body.