John Croghan's Limestone Brick

Origin
Dr. John Croghan was an American medical doctor who bought huge tracks of land in Kentucky in 1839, which include Mammoth Caves. He used the caves as a location for experiments in the treatment of tuberculosis. It was a dismal failure. He had patients sleep in small huts of stone and wood, believing that the constant temperature of the caves would ease their symptoms. Little did he know that the chilly atmosphere, combined with the smoke from cooking fires combined with little air circulation would make his patients even more ill. After many patients died, the experiment was ended in 1843. Croghan himself died from tuberculosis in 1849. Despite his failure, his experiment did provide medical experts with data on the treatment of the disease, (basically what not to do).

Effects
This stone was taken from one of the few huts left standing. When placed back into the wall, the artifact will activate and give the user and those around them tuberculosis.

Collection
Collected by agents of Warehouse 13. After reports of mysterious tuberculosis cases started circulating, agents quickly arrived on the scene. After doing research on the area they discovered that the hut was being restored with original materials and thus was the cause. By removing the brick they caused the hut to revert to its inert state. Unfortunately their guide through the caves had succumbed to the disease, leaving them stranded. Luckily they stumbled upon Ed Bishop's Cave Lantern, which showed them the way out.