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Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires

Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires Page of 251 Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
BOOK I
13
which, having been drunk, counteracts the sting of a scorpion; sulphur, having been smeared on a wound counteracts the poison in it; soda and iron sulphates, having been drunk, counteract the poison from toadstools. Some minerals counteract many poisons, for example halite, which is a rem­edy for the bites of vipers, horned snakes and crocodiles, the stings of scor­pions and wasps, the infections from centipedes. The halite is applied as a poultice. Taken internally, halite counteracts the poisons of toadstools and opium.
Among other minerals with healing qualities hieracites stops bleeding from deep cuts. Jaspis, placed on the stomach, strengthens it and prevents vomiting. A geode tied on the left side of a women's hips maintains and preserves pregnancy and prevents miscarriage. Jaspis and geodes bound to the thigh of a pregnant woman cause an early delivery. Magne­tite removes excess fat. Chrysocolla, armenium, and atramentum sutorium cause vomiting.
I shall say no more about the medicinal properties of minerals and will now take up the medicinal qualities. All minerals dry. Some warm the body such as alum, atramentum sutorium, chalcitis, misy, sory, and melanteria while others such as Eretrian earth, galena, and stibnite cool it. Regarding the secondary qualities, jet softens areas of the body which are hard while galena and stibnite harden areas which are soft. Hydrous sodium car­bonate minerals such as nitrum, nitri spuma, and aphronitrum open holes too small for the eye to see while Samian aster and all other glutinous earths close them. Minerals such as pyrite, molaris, and bitumen break up gatherings in the body. Chalcitis, misy, and cleavable alum heal wounds. The Greeks call minerals which remove fleshy growths κα0αιρ€τικό$. These include natural lime, aerugo, and if the growths are soft chalcitis and misy. Some minerals which the Greeks call σηπτικός cause flesh to decay, for example, the spodos found in mines, orpiment, realgar, and chrysocolla.
Various minerals have been endowed with diverse qualities, for example Cimolia earth (principally cimolite) and halite. Cimolia earth disperses and holds disease in check; halite cleanses and is astringent. Chrysocolla, armenium, orpiment, realgar, hematite, and goethite have these same qual­ities as well as atramentum sutorium, misy, sory, chalcitis, and melanteria. Of these chrysocolla is stronger than armenium; orpiment, than realgar; hematite, than goethite; atramentum sutorium, than the related minerals. Many will cause serious injury and even death to men and animals when taken into the body with food or drink or when placed in close contact to the body. Certain varieties of spodos found in mines, cadmia and chryso­colla, will eat away flesh rapidly. Gypsum and selenite cause constipation.
I shall say nothing concerning the properties which the Persian scholars have attributed to stones and gems. They, and the Arabs who have copied them, have treated the natures and causes of things with such a super­ficiality and vagueness as to cause one to regard them as of little value as I shall explain at greater length elsewhere.
Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires Page of 251 Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires
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