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THE BOOK OF THE PEARL
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may
be swallowed at the same time. From one ounce to an ounce and a half
may be taken, and nothing more excellent can be had. In pernicious and
pestilential fevers, the ordinary aqua perlata cannot be
compared to this. Care must be taken to cover the glass carefully
while the pearls are dissolving, lest the essence should escape."1
A curious book on the medicinal use of pearls was written in 1637 by Malachias Geiger,2
in which he especially praises the efficacy of Bavarian pearls. It was
true that their material value was less than that of oriental pearls,
but this was compensated by their therapeutic qualities. He had
accomplished many cures of a very serious disease and had used these
pearls successfully in cases of epilepsy, insanity, and melancholia.
Quotations
might be given from a hundred medieval writers as to the therapeutics
of pearls. The diseases for which they were recommended, as noted by
Robert Lovell's "Panmineralogicon, or Summe of all Authors," published
at Oxford in 1661, seems to have included a large portion of the entire
list known at that period. This summary states :
Pearls
strengthen and confirme the heart ; they cherish the spirits and
prin-cipall parts of the body; being put into colly ries, they cleanse
weafts of the eyes, and dry up the water thereof, help their filth, and
strengthen the nerves by which moisture floweth into them ; they are
very good against melancholick griefes; they helpe those that are
subject to cardiack passions; they defend against pestilent diseases,
and are mixed with cordiall remedies ; they are good against the
lienterie, that is, the flux of the belly, proceeding from the
sliperi-ness of the intestines, insomuch that they cannot retaine the
meat, but let it passe undigested; they are good against swounings;
they help the trembling of the heart and giddinesse of the head; they
are mixed with the Manus Christi against fainting (called Manus Christi perlata) in the London Phar-macopaea) ;
they are put into antidotes or corroborating powders; they help the
flux of bloud ; they stop the terms, and cleanse the teeth ; they are
put into antidotes for the bowels, and increase their vertue, make the
bloud more thin, and clarify that which is more thick and feculent;
they help feavers. The oik of Pearles or unions helpeth the
resolution of the nerves, convulsion, decay of old age, phrensie,
keepeth the body sound, and recovereth it when out of order, it
rectifieth womens milk, and increaseth it, corrects the vices of the
natural parts and seed. It cureth absesses, eating ulcers, the cancer
and hemor-rhoides. . . . The best are an excellent cordial, by which
the oppressed bal-same of life and decayed strength are recreated and
strengthened, therefore they resist poyson, the plague, and
putrefaction, and exhilarate, and therefore they are used as the last
remédie in sick persons.3
1 De Boot, "Gemmarum et Lapidum His- * Lovell, "Panmineralogicon," Oxford, 1661,
toria," Hanover, 1609, Lib. II, c. 38, p. 87. pp. 77, 78.
* Margaritologia, Monachii, 1637.
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