Mad Stones (Bezoar) from our Deer?

[Voyageur]

Through the years while working in the garden, have come across tiny round smooth stones. Have been saying to myself all this time, what the heck are these, they don't fit in. When you clean out/work soil year after year, you get used to whats in it. Every year these new balls would reappear, one here, another there.

This year, the mystery has been answered. When the snow melted on a new area of rocks placed last year, here is what was found and there was only one source it could be, from the Deer that jump through the fence.





So what are they? They seemed to be like humans passing stones or like a tumbler, the stomach, having ingested stones while taking up grass, turns them around and around until they reach this size and pass through their intestinal track.

As best I've found out they might be called 'bezoar' stones.

_https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezoar

A bezoar (/ˈbiːzɔər/, from Persian bazahr, "antidote") is a mass found trapped in the gastrointestinal system (usually the stomach),[2] though it can occur in other locations.[3][4] A pseudobezoar is an indigestible object introduced intentionally into the digestive system.[5]
There are several varieties of bezoar, some of which have inorganic constituents and others organic.

Another article from almanac offers this strange bit - Mad Stones:

_http://www.almanac.com/content/try-madstone

Have you ever heard of a mad stone? This home remedy was used for centuries to heal though it's not a common practice today.
A mad stone (sometimes called 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. . .
Please Pass the Stone
Want to try a mad stone? The challenge is getting 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.

Well as the last sentence says, just sharing my story of these stones.

 

[loreta]

Interesting. It is the first time I hear about it. What do you gonna do with them?

 

[Voyageur]

Interesting. It is the first time I hear about it. What do you gonna do with them?

Don't know, research a little more anyway. Funny thing is, that everywhere in the bush there are excreted piles from the ungulates that look similar to the above, you see so many of them that you tend to ignore them, so not sure how often they cycle these stones but will pay a little more attention to what is underfoot.

 

[Z...]

yes this is actually quite common and to be correct your mad stones are actually called phytobezoars - composed chiefly of compacted undigested vegetable fiber.
Wouldn't hold my breath for healing properties though ;)

 

[Lilou]

Apparently, someone has found something to do with them. If I am not mistaken, these exact same "stones" can be purchased by the bag load here in the states. They sell them to put in the bottom of potted plants for drainage. They look exactly like the photo.

 

[Voyageur]

yes this is actually quite common and to be correct your mad stones are actually called phytobezoars - composed chiefly of compacted undigested vegetable fiber.
Wouldn't hold my breath for healing properties though ;)

Phytobezoars - thanks and defiantly not holding my breath. :P

When it said "There are several varieties of bezoar, some of which have inorganic constituents and others organic." This is what I was thinking, kind of petrified, although compacted, compressed seems to be what is indicated. Have a little microscope and will see about breaking it apart and having a look. Also immersing in water to see if it reabsorbs.

Apparently, someone has found something to do with them. If I am not mistaken, these exact same "stones" can be purchased by the bag load here in the states. They sell them to put in the bottom of potted plants for drainage. They look exactly like the photo.

That's a lot of compacted shite to bag. ;D

 

[loreta]

Do they smell? If not you can paint them, be creative with them and do some collars or bracelets, or rings and sell them specifying that they have properties for anything you can imagine! And then become millionaire. :P

 

[Voyageur]

Do they smell? If not you can paint them, be creative with them and do some collars or bracelets, or rings and sell them specifying that they have properties for anything you can imagine! And then become millionaire. :P

Oh no, can't sell them, have been warned.

 

[obyvatel]

Had heard the term bezoar mentioned in Harry Potter books. Bezoars were believed to act against any poison. As this wikipedia entry on bezoar shows - they apparently do not have such properties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezoar

 

[Search]

It reminds me this stones, they are very similar :)
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanded_clay_aggregate
We used them as a floor heater.

 

[Voyageur]

It reminds me this stones, they are very similar :)
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanded_clay_aggregate
We used them as a floor heater.

Yes, yes, these are very similar; lots of clay in our parts too.

As said, here are a few microscope photos 200 - 400 (x)







I can see bits of silica and also it has a pumice quality. Have a piece in water and it has not yet deteriorated.