Chap. 34.] SEVEN REMEDIES DEBITED FROM STIMMT. 115 



CHAT. 33. - STIMMI, STIBI, A LAB. VST HUM, LARBA8I8, OR PLATT- 



OPHTIIALMOX. 



In the same mines in which silver is found, there is also 

 found a substance which, properly speaking, may he called a 

 stone made of concrete froth.* 1 It is white and shining, with- 

 out being transparent, and has the several names of stimmi, 

 stibi, alabastrum,* 3 and larbasis. There are two kinds of it, 

 the male and the female. 23 The latter kind is the more ap- 

 proved of, the male' 1 stimmi being more uneven, rougher to 

 the touch, less ponderous, not so radiant, and more gritty. 

 The female kind, on the other hand, is bright and friable, and 

 separates in laminae, and not in globules.* 5 



CHAP. 34. - SKVKX REMEDIES DERIVED FROM STIMMI. 



Stimmi is possessed "of certain astringent and rcfrigerative 

 properties, its principal use, in medicine, being for the eyes. 

 Hence it is that most persons call it "platyophthalmon," 26 it be- 

 ing extensively employed in the calliblepharic 27 preparations of 

 females, for the purpose of dilating the eyes. It acts also as a 

 check upon fluxes of the eyes and uleerations of those organs; 

 being used, as u powder, witli pounded frankincense and gum. 

 It has the property, too, of arresting discharges of blood from 



11 IIo is speaking of Antimony. K From its whiteness. 



23 Under the name of ** female stimmi," Ajassnn thinks that pure, or 

 native, antimony is meant, more particularly the latwlliform variety, re- 

 inarkahle for its smoothness. He thinks it possible, al><\ that it may have 

 derived its Greek name " larhason," or ** larbusis," from its 'brittle-ness. 



** Ajasson thinks that under this name, crude antimonv or sulphuret of 

 antimony may have heen included ; ns also sulphuret of lead, sulphuret of 

 ontimony and copper, arid sulphuret of antimony nnd silver; the lust of 

 which is often found covered with an opaque ptlltolo. 



" d'lohiK." The fracture of bulphurct of antimony is, in reality, small 

 Bubconcuo'idnl. 



u * Kye dilating." Bdladonnn, a preparation from the Atropa bella- 

 donna, i now u.sed in medicine for this purpose. A similar effect is attri- 

 buted in li. xxv. c. 02, to the plant. Anagallis. In reality, the application 

 of prepared antimony would contract the eyelids, and so vppear to enlarge 



the eyes. This property 'is peculiar, Ajasson remarks, to sulphuret of an- 

 timony, and sulphur* t o"f antimony and silver. 



27 Preparations " for heautifyinjj the evebrows." See B. xxi. c. 73, B. 

 xxiii. c. 51. and B. xxxv. c. 5. Omphale, the Lydian queen, who capti- 

 vated Hercules, is represented hy the tragic poet f'n, as n-ini? "itimmi" 

 for the purpose!* of the toi'et. Jt was prohahly with a preparation 1 of anti- 

 mony that Jezebel "painted her face, and tired her head." 2 Kinps ix. 30. 

 The "Kohl" Used hy the females in Egypt and Persia is prepared from an- 

 timony. I 2 



