Chapter I, Part I), Both Having the Power to Protect From Poisonous

drugs, necklaces being worn specially by children for this purpose, and also as a counter-charm against witchcraft and sorcery.

Its range of medicinal virtues is very extensive, Callistratus asserting it to be of great service at any period of life against insanity, either taken as a powder, or worn round the neck; the golden-yellow variety known as the Chryselutum being specially used to ward off ague. The Rev. C. W. King says that “the wearing of an Amber necklace has been known to prevent the attacks of erysipelas in a person subject to them, which has been proved by repeated experiments beyond all possibility of doubt. Its action here cannot be explained, but its efficacy as a defender of the throat against chills is evidently due to its extreme warmth when in contact with the skin, and the circle of electricity so maintained, which latter may account for its remedial agency in the instance quoted above.” He also says: “In Pliny’s time Amber was universally worn as necklaces by the Transpadane females of Lombardy and Piedmont, partly as an ornament and partly as a prophylactic against goitres, to which they were subject in consequence of the hard quality of the water they drank.”

Amber was also worn to protect from deafness, digestive troubles, catarrh, jaundice, loss of teeth from looseness, and as a child’s Amulet against convulsions when teething.

Its popularity as mouth-pieces to pipes, cigar- and cigarette-holders arose from a belief in the East that Amber will not transmit infection. It has ever been in vogue throughout China, Japan, India, and the East, and retains its favour to the present day.

The Chinese use it extensively in incense, and it is also used in the manufacture of various perfumes and medical compounds.

TOPAZ.--The Yellow Topaz is also a stone of this House, but being more particularly a stone of Sagittarius it will be found dealt with under that sign.

All yellow stones are, more or less, under the influence of the Sun, who, as already mentioned, rules the House of the Lion.

Those whose birthdays fall in the Taurus or Scorpio periods should not, however, wear the Sardonyx, Chrysolite, Tourmaline, Amber, or Yellow Topaz.