worth
noting that this story cannot be literally true, since a pearl of the
size reported would only slightly dissolve in such a mixture. If ground
to a fine powder, however, the pearl might be swallowed in the wine
without injury to the system, and if this was done the story can be
credited. According to Pliny the wealthy Romans were accustomed to mix
pearls with their wine, presumably in this way, to improve the flavor
of the beverage. The name for the pearl among the Romans and Greeks was
Margarita, and the finest pearls are still known by this term.
The
Romans believed that pearls were solidified drops of dew, which had
fallen into the gaping shells of oysters. The size and quality of the
pearl were supposed to depend on the size of the dewdrop and the purity
of the air. Ancient Hindoo authorities describe pearls as originating
in elephants, clouds, boars, fishes, frogs, and oysters, the latter
being the most productive. In their view the effect of the pearl upon
its wearer varied with its color. A light yellow pearl brought wealth,
one more deeply colored, understanding, a white pearl, fame, and a blue
one, good luck.
Among
the Chinese and Hindoos to this day pearls are regarded as of great
medicinal value, and a large proportion of the imperfect pearls
obtained in the fisheries are used for this purpose. They are
considered beneficial in syncope, hemorrhage, and stomach troubles, and
seed pearls are mixed with sweetened water for use as a stimulant.
Among the Arabians and Persians pearls are used as a cure for insanity
and all mental diseases; for diseases of the heart, stomach, and
bowels; and for bleeding and skin diseases. A similar belief in the
efficacy of pearls for the cure of insanity existed in Europe as late
as the seventeenth century. The insane King of Spain, Charles, was
given pearl powder mixed with distilled water as a remedy. The Aztecs
and Incas of America, when first visited by the Spaniards, possessed
quantities of pearls of the finest luster and color. Large numbers of
pearls are found in the prehistoric mounds of America also, showing
that even these people held them in esteem. These pearls generally lack
the luster of the pearl of the present day; but whether this has been
lost through lapse of time, or whether the Mound Builders were content
with pearls that would to modern people seem valueless, is not known.
The mound pearls are frequently found bored and strung.
The
passion for pearls for ornament continues at the present day, and they
often command even higher prices than the diamond, weight for weight.
The price, however, depends so much upon individual quality that no
fixed scale of values can be given.
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