CATALOGUE OF GEMS. 569 



C7tri/soj)r((.s<\ — Preserved the sig-ht, banished covetousness, and 

 rendered its wearer eheerful. (Mirror of Stones. IToO.) 



Worn as an amulet, it assuaged the pains of gout. (Arcuht Gennnea. 

 1658.) 



Bound around the arm, it was supposed to ))eoome a diuretie, to 

 expel gravel, and prevent the generation of the stone. (Rulandus, 

 Medicina Praetica. 1564.) 



Citrliii. — The citrini (yellow corundum) protected the wearer from 

 danger while traveling, secured him from pestilential vapoi-s, and pro- 

 cured him every courtesy. (Arcula Gemmea. 1653.) 



Coral. — In the "Arcula Gemmea" is a rather interesting account 

 of the coral, as follows: 



This is a bud of maritime l)eauty, and the deliglit of children, the best of nature's 

 buds, as somewhat furthering the springtide of their growth. The corall is a ])lant 

 of nature's setting in the sea, which, though being covered with the waters of the 

 sea, it bee green and soft, yet so soon as it is elevated above the waves and dis- 

 covered in the region of the aire it altereth its colour and changeth its nature: its 

 colour from green to a very noble and beautifull red; its softnesse into the compacted 

 firmness and solidnesse of a stone, beautifull and lasting; by the operati(jn of the 

 aire encompassing its sometimes soft and flaccid substance. It is (under the waters 

 of a brinish sea) a thriving, growing plant, sprung by nature with the ornament of 

 many pretty branches, which is no sooner violently forc'd from the place of its 

 growth and brought to light above the overflowing of the waters, but it bkishes at 

 the injurious hand that offereth violence to its secret, silent, tender, spreading growth. 



Ovid, the Roman poet, accounts for the origin of the coral in the 

 "Metamorphoses" in the following manner: 



Perseus, having cut off the head of the Medusa, placed it upon some 

 twigs and leaves near the seashore. The twigs were turned to stone 

 on contact with the head, were scattered far and wide beneath the sea 

 b}" sea nymphs, and thus became the seeds of coral. 



The coral was thought to be of greater beauty when worn by a man 

 than by a woman. By its change of color it was thought to forewarn 

 the approach of disease; and should the wearer ))ecome dangerously 

 sick, the gem became spotted. Worn as an amulet, it drove away fear, 

 kept men from the influence of sorcery and evil spirits. It was a pro- 

 tection against poison, plague, and storm. (Arcula Genmiea. 1653.) 



It secured women from incuhus and men suecuhu!< and hindered the 

 delusions of the devil. [Dioscorides, De Materia Medica.] 



Coral was administered, according to the following prescription, for 

 vomiting, purging, and colic: 



TABELI..K CimALLAT^E. 



Jfc. Corallorum rubeorum pra^paratoruni, 5'*; margaritar pr;cparator, 5'; boli 

 armeni, "-yfi; ligni aloes, 9i. Sacch. albissimi dissoluti in acjua rosaru cinnamomi 

 tenuioris quantum sufEcit; fiat confectio in tabellis. [Arcula Gemmea. 1653.] 



According to the "Medicina Praetica" of Rulandus, written in 1564, 

 a half a drachm of powdered coral was given as a cardiac stimulant; 



