hilosophize, wrongly allowing and accepting properties:
but these matters will appear more plainly by and by when we begin to
discuss the causes of things; the clouds being dispersed that have so
darkened all Philosophy. Filings, scales, and slag of iron are, as Avicenna
makes out, not wanting in deleterious power (haply when they are not well
prepared or are taken in larger quantity than is fit), hence they cause
violent pain in the bowels, roughness of the mouth and tongue, marasmus,
and shrivelling of the limbs. But Avicenna wrongly[97] and old-womanishly
makes out that the proper antidote to this iron poison is loadstone to the
weight of a drachm taken as a draught in the juice of mercurialis or of
Beet; for loadstone is of a twofold nature, usually malefiant and
pernicious, nor does it resist iron, since it attracts it; nor when drunk
in a draught in the form of powder does it avail to attract or repel, but
rather inflicts the same evils.

* * * * * {36}

CHAP. XVI.

That loadstone & iron ore are the same, but iron an
_extract from both, as other metals are from their own_
ores; & that all magnetick virtues, though
_weaker, exist in the ore itself & in
smelted iron._

Hitherto we have declared the nature & powers of the loadstone, & also the
properties & essence of iron; it now remains to show their mutual
affinities, & kinship, so to speak, & how very closely conjoined these
substances are. At the highest part of the terrestrial globe, or at its
perishable surface & rind, as it were, these two bodies usually originate &
are produced in one and the same matrix, as twins in one mine. Strong
loadstones are dug up by themselves, weaker ones too have their own proper
vein. Both are found in iron mines. Iron ore most often occurs alone,
without strong loadstone (for the more perfect are rarely met with). Strong
loadstone is a stone resembling iron; out of it is usually smelted the
finest iron, which the Greeks call _stomoma_, the Latins _acies_, the
Barbarians (not amiss) _aciare_, or _aciarium_. This same stone draws,
repels, controls other loadstones, directs itself to the poles of the
world, picks up smelted iron, and works many other wonders, some already
set forth by us, but many more which we must demonstrate more fully. A
weaker loadstone, however, will exhibit all these powers, but in a lesser
degree; while iron ore, & also wrought iron (if they have been prepared)
show thei