The first mention of this material is made by Monardes, who says :53
The so-called nephritic stone is a
species of stone, the finest of which resemble the emerald crystal, and
are green with a milky hue. It is worn in various forms, made in
ancient times, such as the Indians had; some like fish, some like the
heads of birds, others like the beaks of parrots and others again round
as balls; all, however, are perforated, since the Indians used to wear
them attached for nephritic or gastric pains, for they had marvellous
efficacy in both these infirmities. Their principal virtue regards the
nephritic pain, and the passing of gravel and stone, in such sort that
a gentleman who owns one, the best I have ever seen, wearing it bound
on his arm, passed so much gravel that he often takes it off, thinking
that it may be injurious for him to pass such a quantity; and, indeed,
when he removes the stone he passes much less. . . . This stone has an
occult property, by means of which it exercises a wonderful
prophylactic effect, preventing the occurrence of nephritic pain, and
should it nevertheless ensue, removing or alleviating it. The duchess
my lady, having suffered three attacks of this malady during a short
period, had one of these stones set in a bracelet and wore it on her
arm, and from the time she put it on, she has never felt any pain,
although ten years have past. In the same way it has served many, who
have realized the same benefit. Therefore, it is highly prized and it
cannot now be worn so easily as in former times, as only caciques and
noblemen own it, and rightly, since it has such wonderful effects.
The Chinese Taoist adept Τ 'ao Hung Ching, who flourished a.D. 500,
directs that when powdered jade is prescribed by a physician, carved
jade must not be used, nor unwrought jade that has been buried in
tombs. While sometimes a very fine powder was recommended, the usual
plan was to reduce the jade by pounding it into pieces the size of
small pulse. When administered in this form the Chinese physicians
asserted that the powder passed unchanged through the system, but that
the essential principle, the innate virtue, was absorbed by the
patient. It relieved heart-burn and
" Monardes, " Delle cose che vengono portate dall'Indie Occidentali," Venetia, 1576, Bk. Π, chap. XIV, p. 46.
