244 CORALS 



coral, when analysed, is found to consist of calcium carbonate 

 with traces of calcium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, 

 organic substances, and, in the case of red coral, a trace of 

 oxide of iron, and that its therapeutic value was no greater 

 than powdered chalk, it fell into disuse. In a Pharmacopoeia 

 of 1677 powdered red and white coral are catalogued ; in a 

 Pharmacopoeia of 1788 red coral only is mentioned ; and 

 in Pereira's famous Materia Medica of 1842 the only 

 statement that appears is that " coral is still sold in the 

 shops." 



Reference has been made to the use of red coral bv 

 natives of North Africa as a phallus and as a protection 

 against the evil eye. It is said to be used for the same pur- 

 poses by the peasants of Italy and of other parts of South 

 Europe. The superstition that seems to have been most 

 persistent in this country is that it assists children in the 

 cutting of their teeth. 



" It helpeth children to breed their teeth, their gums being 

 rubbed therewith ; and to that purpose they have it fasten 

 at the ends of their mantles." — Coles in .-f^n;;; and Eden, quoted 

 by Brand. 



Fabritio. Art thou not breeding teeth. . . . I'll be thy nurse 

 and get a coral for thee and a fine ring of bells. — ^Beaumont and 

 Fletcher, The Captain, Act iii. so. 5 {ca. 1613). 



From this superstition, undoubtedly of Roman origin, 

 is probably derived the custom still prevalent in manv 

 families in this country of decorating their young children 

 with a necklace of coral beads. 



And thus there survives to the present day the last 

 relic of the virtues conferred upon coral by Minerva to 

 commemorate the victory of her brother Perseus over 

 the Medusa. 



Black Coral 



It has already been stated that according to some com- 

 mentators the Arabic word Ramoth, translated "coral " in 

 the English \'ersion of the Bible, probably meant " black 

 coral." There seems to be no doubt that some kind of black 



