SC - Re: SC- Semi precious Stones and Pearls

[RANDALL DIAMOND]

His Grace, Duke Cariadoc had several comments:

>>>>The Cleopatra story to my understanding was that
>>>>she shattered the pearl and dissolved it in vinegar
>>>>which I believe was drunk as a Roman custom
>>>>particularly in the Legions.

>>>I think the point of the story is that she was demonstrating her 
extravagance, the peal being an extremely valuable one.<<<

Yes, I believe the pearl was allegedly given her
by Julius Caesar(??) who was known to have
spent huge sums om large pearls.  

>>>>ABSOLUTLY FORGET any thought of culinary uses
>>>>of most of these materials.  Powdered diamond and
>>>>corundum (Ruby or sapphire) were considered potent
>>>>poisons in period times.

However, unlike ground glass, powdered diamond is harmless
if ingested.  Other powdered gems however may not be so
harmless depending on their chemical compositions.

>>You don't powder them. You put the gemstones in the 
chicken soup as you are making it, then take them out 
again. Apparently the virtues of the stones are thus 
transmitted to the soup, and so to the patient.<<

I don't recommend this with good stones as most
crystaline stones are very heat sensitive.  The thermal
shock of cooling suddenly may shatter them.

>>That, at least, is what Maistre Chiquart seems to 
>> be describing in _Fait de Cuisine_. He says to 
>>consult a physician as to what gemstones are 
>>most suitable.
>>Incidentally, what are the sources for powdered 
>>diamond and corundum being considered potent 
>>poisons? I'd never heard that.
>>David/Cariadoc

Well, there are several instances in fact of injuries 
attributed to diamonds.  I believe Chiquart is interesting
mainly because of the culinary implications he assigns
to various gems.

First, there was the belief that putting a diamond 
merely in the mouth fractured the teeth and if 
swallowed, ruptured the intestines. which can be
traced back to the ninth, perhaps even the seventh
century in pseudo-Aristotle.  See: Rose, "Aristoteles
De lapidibus und Arnoldus Saxo," in Zeitschr. fur D.
Alt., New Series, vol. vi, p. 391 and also see: Avicenna,
"Liber canonis," Basileae, 1556, p. 182, lib. ii, Tract ii, 
cap. 20.   This evidently grew from the belief that the
source of all diamonds was guarded by highly venomous
serpents, which cut themselves on the sharp diamond
crystals and embued some of the properties of their
deadly venom to the stones themselves.  This comes
from: Lapidario del Rey D. Alphonso X, Codice Original, 
Madrid, 1881, f. xi.

As to diamond powder being thought of as a deadly 
poison in his time, Garcias ab Orta (1563) wrote
extensively on the subject, mostly discrediting the
belief.  See: Garcias ab Orta, "Aromatum historia"
(Latin version by Clusius). Antverpiae, 1579, p. 172.
from the Portuguese orginal published in Goa, in 1563.

Closer to your expertise, your Grace, the Turkish
sultan Bejazet II (1447-1512) was done to death
by a dose of pulverized diamond in his food by his
son Selim.  See: Justi Lepsii, "De fraude et vi," cap.
v, par. 8, cited in Pindar, "De adamante," Berolini, 
1829, p.58.

Also Paracelsus (1493-1541) died similarly  according
to the telling of his disciples.  Ambrosius reports this 
according to: Aldrovandi, "Museum metallicum," 
Bononiae, 1648, p.949.

Benvenuto Cellini had a close call with diamond dust
poisoning (he believed) knowing as did his contemporaries
that there was no more deadly poison.  One day after
his noon meal, Cellini felt a grit particle between his teeth.
Seeing bright particles on this plate, he was terrified that
the splinters were indeed diamond.  He immediately gave
himself up as lost and prayed to god for an hour becoming
reconciliated to the thought of dying.  Suddenly, he realized
he had not tested the splinters remaining in his plate.  To his
joy, he was able to crush one to powder between his knife 
and the window sill, proving it was no diamond.  Cellini
later discovered that an enemy had given a diamond worth
100 scudi to a gem cutter named Lione Aretino, who was
instucted to grind it up to make the deadly poison.  But the
man yielded to temptation and ground up a citrine instead
and delivered it to the poisoner.  See: Vita di Benvenuto
Cellini, ed. Carpani, Milano, 1806, p. 445.

In England around the time following  the death of 
Elizabeth I, the Countess of Essex murdered Sir Thomas
Overbury because he opposed openly he marriage to
Robert Carr, Vicount Sommerset, a favorite of James I.
An apothocary, James Franklin, compounded a poison 
of diamond dust for her.  Sir Thomas lingered for 3 months.
finally surcumbing more likely to the mercury and
cantharides, etc. also in the brew.  See: Amos, " The
Great oyer of Poisoning," London, 1846, pp. 336 sqq.

I am sorry to admit that I got the corundums stated
as poisons.  These were, in fact, regarded as supreme
ANTIDOTES to poisons, especially the sapphire.
Rubies were powdered to make elixers, curealls and
such to extend vigour and vitality into old age.

 I hope this data will be of interest to your Grace.

Should anyone care to try out any of the properties
of stones, I realized I have a small stock of rubies, 
emeralds, topazes, flourites, etc. to sell at Pennsic
for affordable prices.  Hmm.... I have had a large 
flask of springwater in a stoppered bottle half filled 
with raw emeralds for several years.  Perhaps you 
need an elixer, my lords and ladies???

Akim Yaroslavich
"No glory comes without pain"