MATERIA MEDIC A. 305 
rarities ; thefe are : Amber, the true Bezoar ftone, 
the horn of the Rhinoceros, particularly veffils 
made of it, out of which they drink water ; all 
thefe are with them of the fame value, as precious 
ftones and jewels, and they preferve them as care- 
fully. The Ambergris ( ambra grifea ) they offer 
to the Goddefs of Beauty, whom thefe people ve- 
nerate to the higheft degree ; the Bezoar ftone 
and Rhinoceros horn, are both ufed as alexiphar- 
mics, fudorifics, and againft poifon, for which 
reafon they preferve them as their tutelar Gods, 
againft that kind of Death, to which the Gran- 
dees are fo much fubjeft, and therefore live in 
conftant fear. But this Mumia Mineraiis, they 
fay, is a great vulnerary. If experience con- 
firms the accounts the Egyptians give of it, it is 
certainly the greateft remedy hitherto known 
for curing wounds. They make an ointment of 
the Mumia Mineraiis pulverized and mixed with 
fweet oil ; break the leg of a hen, anoint it with 
this ointment and tie it up, if the Mummy 
is genuine, the leg is cured within three hours ; 
and this is the method they ufe to try whe- 
ther the Mummy is good ; but if the leg is not 
cured within the time mentioned, they rejed it as 
of no value. They fay, that the leg of a man is 
cured within twenty four hours, if this remedy is 
applied. I have myfelf feen and defcribed the 
Mummy, but have not been an eye-witnefs of 
lts efficacy, as it is very dear and fcarce : but fe- 
deral furgeons in Cairo affined the truth of it, and 
told me, they had feen and admired the experi- 
ment; thefe were men of probity and veracity. 
It is certainly a fpecies of bilumen , but I am not 
able to fay, whether it is any of thofe hitherto 
«nown, if not the firft in Linnteis’s fyftem of na- 
ture. 
