The times., 1901-04-28

as good in physics; and he who carries
| it VIII be victorious in suits at law.
| Amber is believed to assuage pain in
| the stomach, and to cure jaundice fiux
| and the king evil" 1t is regarded as
a good remedy for all disorders of the
| throat, and as an antidOte for poison
| II laid on the breast of a wife when she
| is asleep, 1t makes her confess all her
| evil deeds. 1t faStenS teeth that are
| loosened, and by the smoke of it poison
| Gus insects are driven away. When
| buried in a moist soil 1t was supposed to
generate a fungus, which was admins
| tered to those troubled with gravel When
used as an amulet 1t overcame toothache.
asthma, Group, and diseases of the throat.
| These beliefs are still current Amber is
| used today in Lombardy and the Pied
mont as a cure for goitre.
| The amethyst is emblematic of sin
cerity and as an amulet it dispels sleep,
| sharpens the intellect, prevents intoXica-
/ tton, gives victory to soldiers, and pro-
| teCts its wearer from sOrcery. IL banishes
| the desire for drink and promotes chas-
| tity. According TO Piiny. the amethyst
was an antidote for drunkenness and takes
| its name from this property. Moreover,
! If the name of the moon or sun be en-
SraVed on it and it be thuS~hung about
| the neck from the hair of a babOon or
| the feathers of a swallow IL is a charm
against witChcraft. 1t is also serviceable
to persons having petitions to make to
princes. With the assistance of a spell
| or incarnation it is believed to keep off
haflstorms and flights of locusts. 1t was
tDlA9ibIitd NdBelJiS VI ltuli eLiiAtliS liidEit
| incantatOns.
Beryl was used with incantations to
| fOretell the future and review the past,
and was efficacious in detecting thieves,
forewarned death, and was supposed to
have power over and be the abode of
evil spirits that could be made to work
the wearer's will by means of suitable
incantations. 1t rendered it's owner
cheerful and preserved and increased con-
jugal love. 1t cured disea ses of the throat
and jaws and disorders proceeding from
the humidity Of the head and is a pre-
SerVatiye against them
According to Freeman, who wrote in
1101, the beryl disturbs devils beyond all
others If it is thrown in water with the
words of its charm song ii shows various
images of devils and gives answers to
those that question 1t. Being held in the
mouth man may call any devil out Of
hell and receive satisfaction to such ques-
tions as he may ask. Browning. in one
of his poems, THE Beryl Stone" makes
use of this belief
The beryl was largely used for divina-
tion in 1900. The method was as follows:
A bowl was filled with water and the
ring suspended in it. The answer to the
question propounded was spelled out by
the ring striking the sides of the vessel
a modification of this and one still in use
was to mark the edges of the bowl with
the letters of the alphabet The stopping
or the ring at certain letters composed
the answer Still another method was to
throw sphere cut from the stone into
a bowl of water. The character of the
circles formed announced whether the
presiding demon was favorable or not. II
favorable the information desired was
pictured on the surface Of the bowl Prior
to the sixteenth century the beryl was in
some repute as q curative. Mixed with
an equal weight of silver, it's powder
taken internally was thought to cure
Icprosy. Water in which the stone had
stood was good for the eyes and taken
internally it dispelled 1atulency and cured
indispOsittons of the liver
THE WISDOM OF THE BLooDsTONE.
The bIoodstone is symbolical of wis
dom. frmness. and courage When used
with the proper incantations it's owner
was supposed to be enabled to foreteH
the future, and if rubbed with the juice
OF the heltOtrope it rendered the wearer
invisible. The stone brought safety and
long life to its possessor 1t stopped the
flow Of blood and was an antidote for
poisons. Albertus Magnus taught that it
cured dyspepsia, strengthened the stom-
ach. and if washed according to medici-
nal art was a styptlc. Mixed with
honey or the white of an egg it's powder
was held by him to be an excellent
remedy for hard tumorS, while its dust
would cure proud flesh and running sores.
PHny and Leonardus mention that IL
placed in a basin of water containing the
Juice Of the heliotTOpe and set in the
sun the water would appear red and the
sun bloody. After a time the water will
apparently boil and overflow the basin.
Taken out of the water the sun and solar
eClipSes could then be viewed in the water
as In a mirror. During the Middle Ages
the belief was prevalent in Europe that
the stone had its origin in q dark green
jasper which happened to lie at the foot
of the cross at the time Of the crucihxiOn
and upon which the blood OF Christ fell,
hence the red spots
Carnelian. according to Epiphauus
cured tumors and all wounds made by
iron. Ii preserved the strength, prevent
ed hoarseness, and cleared the voice. 1t
cheered the soul, banished fear, and en-
chantments, and preserved harmony, and
by some authors the wearing of a carne-
lian ensured victory in all contests, except
those OF love As an amulet and as
powder, it was supposed TO be a sovereign
remedy for hemorrhage and as a stopper
Of nose bleed il is still regarded as
potent remedy.
THE MERITS OF THE CATSToNE.
The cats-eye cheers the mind, cures
pallor, and if applied locally causes in
fants suffering from the Group to bring
up phlegm, and will cause new flesh to
appear in place of proud flesh. If admin
istered as a powder. According to one
authority the cat's-eye is warm, sour, and
curative of colds, chronic arrangements
OF the spleen, and collie, and is generally
auspicious when worn. According to the
same authority, the perfect cat's-eyes.
which are heavy deliciously cool, flaw
less, and smooth, and otherwise faultless,"
are considered very lucky, while those
that are defective. bring about loss of
friends ruin, and wasting OF the body.
The HindoOs group the cats-eye in four
casts, according to their quality, all of
which are replete with lucky signs.
The Persans held that the stone ground
to a fine powder. mixed with water. and
then dried in the sun, and the operation
repeated until the powder sOaks up four
times as much was nTst put in would
cure dropsy and Inflammation Of the navel
if applied locally. The AsSyrians dedi-
Gated the stone to the god Belus. and or
naments containing il would after proper
religious ceremony, render its Wearer in
visible TO his enemies
Chalcedony prevented and cured melan-
chOly When worn as an amulet and in
contact with the hairs Of an ass, 1t was
a preventative Cf danger during tempeStS
and sinister events.
ChrysoberyI as an amulet dispelled evil
dreams, fear, and melancholy. and in ad-
dition possessed the properties Of the
beryl. when set in gold and worn on the
neck or hand 1t removes diseases and va
rous faults and increases the family, life,
and happiness. The oriental chrySOberyl
dispelled pestilential vapOrs and infectious
airs. Taken internally It cured asthma.
1t is said to cool boiling water when I'M
mersed in it, soften anger, and induce the
wearer 10 repent of his sins.
Coral stopped every fuX Of blood. drove
away ghosts. illusions and dreams. 1t was
a protection against lightning. winds. tenn
pest and attacks of wild beasts. ii gave
relief to pains in the stomach and heart
and strengthened those organs. 1t made
sound diseased gums and cleansed putrld
sores II hung on fruit trees it ensured
fertility and protected them from blight
ing winds Coral is still in reDute as
preservative against childrens diseases.
and is not iufreQuently suspended from
the neck for this purpose. In India it is
still given TO children in the hope of
.-il.Ii..- thnrl II hives ..nl Linlral tnhEG