In the same mines in which silver is found, there is also found a substance which, properly speaking, may be called a stone made of concrete froth.973 It is white and shining, without being transparent, and has the several names of stimmi, stibi, alabastrum,974 and larbasis. There are two kinds of it, the male and the female.975 The latter kind is the more approved of, the male976 stimmi being more uneven, rougher to the touch, less ponderous, not so radiant, and more gritty. The female kind, on the other hand, is bright and friable, and separates in laminæ, and not in globules.977
About This Book
An encyclopedic survey that first catalogs marine animals, algae, and shellfish, describing habitats, curious behaviors, reported antipathies, and numerous folk remedies and practical uses attributed to specific species, organized by ailments and applications. The later portion treats metals and their ores—including gold, silver, mercury, copper, and brass—describing modes of occurrence, extraction, alloying, testing, gilding, and decorative and monetary uses, alongside technical observations and medicinal remedies derived from metallic substances, with systematic lists and practical instructions interwoven throughout.