Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-03-26

the Middle Ages philosophers had
much mysterious information re-
garding the power of gems.
The ruby would prevent attacks
of rheumatism. A topaz would cure
diseases of the eye. A wine-coor-
ed amethyst would prevent the
wearer from becoming intoxicated
regardless of the amount of liquor
consumed.
Powdered Gems for sickness.
The dust of diamonds. jade and
other stones was regarded as medi-
cine for various diseases. Emer-
aid powder mixed with water would
cure leprosy, it was believed. So
great was the peoples faith in the
potency of jewels and in the wis
dom of the philosophers that val
liable Jewels were ground to pow
der and consumed with the ldea
that the virtue of the GENTS
strength, purity, fire, or other char-
acteristic-would enter into the
diseased part of the system and at
feet a cure.
To the people of medieval Eu-
rope, a beautiful stone was as
mysteriously powerful as radium
seems to us Their wisest men told
them that q turquoise would pre-
vent the wearer from injury if he
should fall. If the wearer of
turquoise tumbled down stairs and
arrived at the foot with broken
arm, that was easily explained.
Perhaps the turquoise was not
properly worn. 1t should touch
the skin in order to divert the
shock of a fall from the wearer to
itself. If it was touching the skin,
then the wearer should appreciate
that If he had not worn it, un-
doubtedly his neck as well as his
arm would have been broken. The
turquoise took the worst of the
fall to itself. If either of these ar
guments failed to convince, the
man of learning could significantly
observe that If a jewel failed to
function as advertised, obviously
it was an imitation and not true,
living gem.
The people, princes and poorer
folk alike, listened to the scholars
and when they could afford to do
so, wore the proper assortment of
Jewels to keep healthy, or to get
rich or to attract love and friend
ship. When this gem cult flour
ished, the individual needed
stone for each emergency. One
lucky stone was not so good as
half a dozen, each with special
powers. But, eventually, the peo-
pie lost faith in concoctions of
powdered jewels, and incantations
said over gems while holding
them to a diseased eye or leg.
Origin of Tradition.
About this time the old associa-
ton OF the twelve Biblical stones
with the twelve months was re-
called, and out OF Poland, Ger
many or France-it is not certain
which--came the birthstone GUS
tom.
In making out the gem calendar,
the first stone was assigned to
March, and January and February
were given the last two stones. In
spite of this arrangement, and in
spite of the fact that in different
countries the gem calendar varies
somewhat, there is no mistaking
the source from which the twelve
stones were taken.
A few years ago the National
Association Of jewelers. agreed on
an official list for this country.
The stones for the twelve months
in order are garnet, amethyst,
bloodstone, diamond, emerald,
pearl, ruby, sardonyx. sapphire,
opal, topaz and turquoise. AL
tentative stones for five months
also were made official, as fol-
lows: aquamarine, for March;
moonstone, for June; peridot, for
August; tournmaline. for October;
and lapis-lazuli for December.