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326 PRECIOUS STONES.
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residue.
At 287° Fahr. Amber fuses, and becomes decomposed, yielding water, an
empyreumatic oil, and succinic acid. Amber is soluble in alcohol. By
chemical analysis it is shown to be rich in carbon ; being therefore
specially suitable for remedial wear against those ailments which are
told about here as amenable to charcoal (carbon).
Yellow
amber beads were formerly in fashion for necklaces, and other use as
personal ornaments in this country. " Succinum is a bituminous juyce,
or rosin," tells Dr. W. Rowland, 1669, "of the Earth, well digested ;
thence brought into the sea, and there chiefly concreted. Bound to the
neck behind, it cures defluxions of the eyes, and hung about the neck
keeps destinations from the throat. It is proper chiefly for the head,
and womb."
"
There are several sorts of Succinum, so-called officinally, as the
white, yellow, and black ; but the shops have only two sorts, the
white, and the yellow. The yellow is best which is clear, and is
sweetest when powdered, the black spotted is worst."
For
a delicate person, liable to attacks of relaxed sore throat, to wear
pretty constantly a necklace of somewhat large beads made from the
transparent yellow Amber is found to be an admirably preventive
measure. In playful allusion to which troublesome ailment Hood's title
for a dummy book (amongst others, equally humorous, and clever, as
supplied at Chatsworth to the Duke of Devonshire, in February, 1831)
ran thus : On Sore Throat; or The Migration of the Swallow.
Hood's
assistance had been asked for by the Duke towards constructing a door
of sham books for the library staircase at Chatsworth, that he would
give
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