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Zethelius, M. and Balick, M.J. (1982) Modern Medicine and Shamanistic Ritual: A Case of Positive Synergistic Response in the Treatment of a Snakebite. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 5, 181-185.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(82)90042-3

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Snakestones, Black Stones, and the Limits of Evidence

  AUTHORS: Raywat Deonandan

  KEYWORDS: Snakestone, Black Stone, Envenomation, Ethnopharmacology, Traditional Medicine, Medical Anthropology

  JOURNAL NAME: Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, Vol.14 No.7, July 6, 2026

  ABSTRACT: Snakestones (objects applied to snakebite wounds with the purported ability to absorb venom) have persisted in traditional medicine across South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America for at least four centuries. Despite their longevity, the evidence base for their efficacy remains remarkably thin. This commentary synthesizes what is actually known about snakestones, examines the persistent confusion in the literature between “snakestones” broadly and the specific object known as the “black stone,” and considers what the nearly complete absence of rigorous testing means from an anthropological perspective. The snakestone is a compelling case study in the way folk taxonomy, colonial transmission, and evidentiary ambiguity together sustain a therapeutic tradition across centuries.