Minerals in Galenic and Medieval Medicine

MineralAlumAlumen Potassium aluminum sulfate.

MineralAntimonyAntimonio The metallic element and its compounds.CanaleCaution

MineralArmenian boleBolus armenus, bole armeniac A fine red clay, colored by iron oxide.

MineralBloodstoneHaematites Hematite, iron oxide, which streaks blood-red; the name was later given to green jasper spotted with red.

MineralBoraxArabic bawraq; tincal Sodium borate, brought as the crude salt tincal from the lakes of Tibet.Caution

MineralCalamineCadmia, tutia, tutty Zinc carbonate and zinc oxide.

MineralCinnabarMinium, vermilion Mercury sulfide.Deadly

MineralEagle-stoneAetites A hollow nodule of iron oxide with a loose stone rattling inside.

MineralEpsom saltSal catharticum; bitter salt Magnesium sulfate, first boiled from the waters of a spring on Epsom Common in Surrey.

Glass powder, plate: Venetian cristallo glass, 16th–17th century

MineralGlass powderPolvere di vetro Powdered glass.CanaleCaution

MineralGlauber’s saltSal mirabile, the wonderful salt Sodium sulfate, crystallised from spring water and from the residue of making spirit of salt.

MineralGold leafFoglie d’oro Beaten gold.Canale

MineralIron and steelFerrum, chalybs The metal, given as filings in wine, as its rust, or in chalybeate spring waters.

Jet, oil of, plate: Jet, Holzmaden, Germany

MineralJet, oil ofOglio di gagate Jet is fossilized wood, a dense variety of lignite; the oil was distilled from it.Canale

MineralLithargeLithargyrum, “silver stone” Lead monoxide, a byproduct of refining silver.Caution

MineralLodestoneMagnes Magnetite, naturally magnetic iron ore.

Niter, pills of, plate: Refining saltpetre

MineralNiter, pills ofPillole di nitro Saltpeter, potassium nitrate.Canale

MineralOlive-wood ash lyeLissivio di cenere d’oliva Lye made by steeping the ash of olive wood in river water.Canale

MineralOrpiment and realgarAuripigmentum, sandaraca Yellow and red arsenic sulfides.Deadly

MineralThe precious stonesFragmenta pretiosa Ground sapphire, emerald, jacinth, garnet, and topaz, as they were used in medicine.

Mineral QuicksilverArgentum vivum, hydrargyrum; mercury Elemental mercury, and its salts such as calomel and corrosive sublimate.Caution

MineralSal ammoniacSal ammoniacum; the eagle of the alchemists Ammonium chloride, from volcanic vents and later made from soot and urine.

MineralSaltpetreNitrum, sal petrae, the salt of the stone; niter Potassium nitrate, scraped as a white bloom from cellar walls, stables, and dung heaps.

MineralSilverArgentum, Luna The white metal, given as leaf, in solution, and as lunar caustic, silver nitrate cast in sticks.

Sulfur, plate: Sulfur, Floristella mine, Enna, Sicily

Mineral SulfurSolfo Brimstone; “live” sulfur (solfo vivo) is native sulfur.Canale

MineralTerra sigillataLemnian earth, “sealed earth” A clay dug on the island of Lemnos and stamped with a seal.

MineralToadstoneBufonites, borax of the jewellers Fossil teeth of an extinct fish, Lepidotes, believed to come from a toad’s head.

MineralVerdigrisAerugo; Greek ios Copper acetate, the green rust of copper.Caution

MineralVine ashCenere di vite Ash of burnt vine wood.Canale

MineralVitriolVitriolum; copperas Green vitriol (iron sulfate), blue vitriol (copper sulfate), and white vitriol (zinc sulfate); “oil of vitriol” is sulfuric acid.Caution

MineralWhite arsenicArsenic; “inheritance powder” Arsenic trioxide.Deadly

MineralWhite leadCerussa; ceruse Basic lead carbonate.Caution