Mad Dog Bite

Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend, by John George Hoffman, [1820], at sacred-texts.com

CURE FOR THE BITE OF A MAD DOG.

A certain Mr. Valentine Kittering, of Dauphin County, has communicated to the Senate of Pennsylvania a sure remedy for the bite of any kind of mad animals. He says that his ancestors had already used it in Germany 250 years ago, and that he had always found it to answer the purpose, during a residence of fifty years in the United States. He only published it from motives of humanity. This remedy consists in the weed called Chick-weed. It is a summer plant, known to the Germans and Swiss by the names of Gauchneil, Rothea Meyer, or Rother Huehnerdarm. In England it is called Red Pimpernel; and its botanical name is Angelica Phonicea. It must be gathered in June when in full bloom and dried in the shade, and then pulverized. The dose of this for a grown person is a small tablespoonful, or in weight a drachm and a scruple, at once, in beer or water. For children the dose is the same, yet it must be administered at three different times. In applying it to animals, it must be used green, cut to pieces and mixed with bran or other feed. For the hogs the pulverized weed is made into little balls by mixing it with flour and water. It can also be put on bread and butter,

p. 32

or in honey, molasses, etc. The Rev. Henry Muhlenberg says that in Germany 30 grains of this powder are given four times a day, the first day, then one dose a day for a whole week; while at the same time the wound is washed out with a decoction of the weed, and then the powder strewed in it. Mr. Kittering says that he in all instances administered but one dose, with the most happy results. This is said to be the same remedy through which the late Doctor William Stoy effected so many cures.