Crystallus, Crystal

Sphatika (Ayurveda)
Sang e Murda (Unani)
Picture Quartz Crystal
(Photo by Robert M. Lavinsky) (Wikimedia)

Minerological name:
Silicon dioxide

Parts used:


Prepared Crystal
Salmon said there were 4 main types of Crystal:
  1. Rock Crystal
  2. Iris: “from a differing though colorless glory”
  3. Citrine
  4. Pseudo Adamas–False Diamond; “so hard and sparkle so excellently, that they can scarcely be distinguished from Oriental Diamonds”.
The Chalcedonies (Jasper, Bloodstone, Agate etc.) are cryptocrystalline crystal.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Sweet

Properties:
Hardness: 7–8
Specific Gravity: 2.6–2.8

Classification:




Uses:


1. Clears Heat, Stops Leakage: (West, Ayurveda)
-Diarrhea, Dysentery
-Leukorrhea, Spermatorrhea
-Hemoptysis (West)
-Heat-type bleeding (Ayurveda)

2. Clears Heat:
-Fever, Burning Sensation in the body (Ayurveda)
-a vessel of Crystal used to hold water is said to clear Pitta/Bile when drunk (Ayurveda)

3. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Breaks Stones: (West, Unani)
-Edema
-Gravel, Stones (West); used for Gall and Kidney stones in Unani
-Nodes and Stony concretions of the joints
-a tincture was used for Scrofula
-Gout and Heat-type Arthritis
-“‘expels and dissolves all tartarous preternatural substances in all parts of the body: Above all, it dissolves Tophus’s and hardness in limbs proceeding from Gout. But its principle use is to expel clammy humours and sand from the Kidneys and Bladder”. (Salmon)

4. Promotes Milk: (West)
-widely held to promote Breast Milk

5. Benefits Yin:
-held in the mouth to stop Thirst in Fevers (West)
-used for Wasting Diseases (Ayurveda)
-it has been used to help promote Conception (Unani)
-“a promoter of Strength”. (Alchemy and Metallic Medicines in Ayurveda, Dash)

6. Externally:
-a piece of crystal held in the mouth was recommended for extreme Thirst
-poor vision, heat a crystal in the sun and apply to the eyes (Hildegard)
-Swellings of the Neck, Scrofula, warm a crystal in the Sun and apply to the place (Hildegard)


Dose:


Prepared Powder: 125–250mg (Ayurveda) (1 scruple–1 dram was the traditional dose)
The Bhasma or ash is also used in similar doses.
Vehicles used to take Crystal include Honey, Milk or Butter.

Comment:


In Ayurveda, the name Sphatika is also applied to Alum.

Substitute:


Tabasheer may be a suitable substitute in some indications

Preparation:


1. Quenched Crystal
  Heated to red hot and quenched in water, or some suitable distilled water. This is repeated several times to enable it to be ground very fine.
2. Levigated Crystal
  Usually levigated (ground finely) in a mortar with a little water or distilled water. Rose water was typically used; or Bugloss water; a Diuretic Water was used if used to promote Urine. Levigation is best done after quenching.
3. Ashes of Crystal:
  Sometimes it was ordered to be used in ash-form.
4. In Ayurveda, Crystal may also be purified and prepared in the same manner as Lapis Lazuli.

Main Combinations:


1. To promote Milk: “The Crystal stone most finely pulverised, of which ½ or 1 scruple, taken inwardly once or twice in Fennel water, by a certain property increases milk”. (Practical Chymistry, Hartman)
2. Thirst: “‘Chrystal is like unto water; if one sick of an Ague keep it, and roll it in his mouth, it quenches his thirst”. (Natural Magic, John Baptista Porta, 1537-1615)
3. Gravel and Stones:
i. “Mix equal parts of the distilled waters of Parsley, Nettle and Radish, and ‘actuate’ them with Spirit of Vitriol, or Oil of Sulphur per Campanum. Then roughly break as many ounces of Crystal as there are Pints of the Waters, and then heat the powdered Crystal in a crucible to red hot; this is then quenched in the combined waters. Repeat the quenching 10 or 12 times to allow the Waters to extract most of the Salt of Crystal. Filter the remaining liquid, and add 2 ounces of White Sugar (Candy) to each pound of the Water”.
  “Thus shall you have a quick and easy remedy at hand to administer to those that shall find themselves persecuted with the pains of Gravel’”
Dose: 0.5-3 oz. (Complete Body of Chymistry)
ii. A Water to Break the Stone.
  Juices of Leeks, Onions, and Radishes   2 lbs. ea.
  Juices of Lemons, Pellitory, Mouse Ear  0.5 lb. ea.
  Calx of Crystals, Pidgeons Dung              0.5 lb. ea.
Digest 10 days, ferment, then distill.
  “This is one of the most excellent medicines yet known against the stone: I have known it to do wonders, even in desperate Cases”. Salmon said it is even stronger if 2 lbs. of Sows or Hogs Lice are added.
Dose: 2 drams-0.5 oz. (Salmon)

Major Formulas:


Medicine to Defend the Base from all Danger

Cautions:


The only danger is in it not being reduced (powdered) finely.

Main Preparations used:


Salt, Liquor, Majestry

SALT of CRYSTAL.
  Calcined Crystal is dissolved in Distilled Vinegar with Turpentine; filter the solution and evaporate to dryness. This is the Salt of Crystal, which may be purified as other salts are. (The Salt may also be extracted from the remainder of the previous prescription for Gout.)
  “It stops Fluxes [leakages], increases Milk in Nurses, breaks the Stone in the Reins and Bladder, and is good against the Gout [Arthritis]”.
Dose: 6-15 grains. “Give not much nor often hereof, especially if nature is weak”. (Salmon)

LIQUOR of CRYSTAL.
  It is made of the above Salt, in the same manner as Salt of Tartar per deliquim.
  The virtues are the same as the former. Dose: 15-20 grains.

MAJESTRY of CRYSTAL
  Made by dipping very hot crystal into Spirits of Vitriol. Used as a Diuretic
The name Crystal comes rom the Greek Chrystalos, meaning Ice. It was widely believed to be formed from solidified water. This idea was popularised by Pliny and others, and was backed up by the fact that much of the Quartz found came from high in the Mountains, and remained popular belief for 2000 years. Even the word Crystal is derived from the Greek for Ice. This theory was destroyed by Robert Boyle in 1672 when he proved the specific gravity of Quartz was over 2.5 times too heavy to be water in any form.
Nothing at Present