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88
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DE NATURA FOSSILIUΜ
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found
as a narrow wedge, sometimes broad, sometimes little, sometimes large.
Pieces from Misena may weigh as much as fourteen pounds. It may congeal
with the form of an icicle or a belemnite, for example, that found at
times in Goslar and common in the iron mines of Bohemia near the
village of Lessa. It may have the appearance of grapes as in the case
of the mineral from the Harz forest and some of the very black mineral
from Goslar. The Harz mineral often has the appearance of a brain since
it sometimes occurs in hemispherical forms. Finally it may be broader
than long, for example, the Harz mineral that sparkles like artificial
minium.
Physicians
use hematite since it dries and is astringent. The powder, after the
mineral is completely pulverized in a mortar, reduces roughness of the
eyelids, a disease the Greeks call τράχωμα, when mixed with egg
and smeared on the inflamed lid. If mixed with water it stops bleeding
from an open vein. It is beneficial in the treatment of all ulcers. The
powder reduces all fleshy growths. Schistos of the same color
as hematite has the same properties while that of other colors is less
efficacious. The best hematite is the color of dried blood, friable,
uniform and pure. Similarly, the best schistos has the same
properties although Dioscorides preferred the variety that was yellow
at the ends but he is mistaken in this since the very finest differs
only in form from hematite.
Nature produces hematite from ostracites in
the Hildesheim district at a place between a cave and a water course
and it is produced artificially from lodestone, in each case by
burning. The gem antipathes which is black and opaque is
nothing other than black hematite. The latter mineral, as well as
hematite, if cooked in milk becomes similar to myrrh. The black trichrus from
Africa belongs to this same genus and yields three juices, black from
the base, red from the middle and white from the top. This is a
compound mineral consisting of two kinds of hematite, red and black,
and apparently galactites or some similar mineral.
Just as hematite and schistos form from red rocks, morochthus forms
from white and similar calcareous rocks. Since this mineral makes white
lines in the same manner as chalk it is also called leucographis and since it is also white and soft it is called leucogaea, i.e., white earth. It is called galaxias by
some because it gives a milky streak. This mineral is found in Egypt
and is mined in Saxony, Germany, along with the earth of Alfeld. The
pit is to the south on the road to the wooded mountain. Morochthus is
white, soft and readily soluble. Textile workers use it to whiten
linen. Since it possesses the property of spreading and reduces
bleeding physicians use it to relieve menstruation. Since it dries and
is not astringent and does not draw nor bite when taken internally it
relieves pains in the abdomen and bladder. It is used in eye remedies,
causes hollow ulcers to fill and stops the flow of humors. It covers up
scars from ulcers, especially soft ulcers.
Galactites and melitites form from the same calcareous rocks. Each is
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