Armenian bole
The name bolus armenicus, often referred to as terra armena or terra armenia called, was during the middle ages a synonym for Applied Medical Tonheilerde.
Nature of the clays
This is of doughy consistency, while homogeneous and pure than the more sandy healing earth. Already 1000 years ago so she became a drug known throughout Europe; finally finished it almost every medical Applied clay with that name. The Universal Encyclopedia of Johann Heinrich Zedler from 1733 bolus is any fat or clay soil, which shines gently feels, so soft and smooth, which has a red, pale red or yellow color and water or in your mouth like butter melts; it is closely related to the sealing earth. To find was this bolus after Zedler formerly in the Levant (Lebanon) and in Armenia, since the end of the Middle Ages ( around 1500) he was also mined in Central Europe. To date, can be found in the pharmaceutical literature names as bolus Armenia or Armenian Sound: This course is occurring by iron oxide reddish -colored clay called, also called sanguine. Even in the 20th century bolus or Terra Armenia Armenia were considered quality items. In Hagers handbook of pharmaceutical practice including the following was described in 1938: A clay containing iron oxide and consists of a bright red, earthy mass which feels greasy, is easy to grind and behaves like water against the white tone; this sound occurs in Armenia, and partly in Germany, of course. He is distinguished from bolus rubra, the red clay which is similar in composition, but usually less pure and darker. Today, the white tone bolus alba is now used medicinally: This is kaolin, a natural crystalline hydrous aluminum silicate; it is obtained from crude kaolin, phyllosilicates. This sound is characterized by a high absorption capacity for water and - from oils - less strong. Inwardly it is like coal used in intestinal disorders and externally as a powder (usually mixed with starch or talc ) in skin diseases.
History of medical applications in clay
Already in the Greco -Roman antiquity was the production of such soils, which are characterized by a high surface area of their powder and thereby detoxifies, highly organized: These clays were mined in certain clay deposits, cleaned, pressed, packaged and loaded onto ships; because each batch of clay was stamped individually, it is called to this day in terra sigillata ( sealed earth). These stamps can be read off the origin; the most famous in the Middle Ages came alumina as described above from Armenia - the bolus armenicus, the Terra armena or Lutum Armenicum. Already the Greek physicians of antiquity boasted this clay as a protection against poisoning, with both the external (paste, wrap ) and internal use has been described as detoxifying. In the " Gart health ", which was in 1485 printed, many indications are mentioned in which bolus armenicus to help: as a powder at each wound a great drug, with wheezing (asthma), as a drink with spitting of blood or consumption, at a bleeding diarrhea ( Dissentericis ) in excessive menstrual bleeding and for fever epidemic in times when evil sores and ulcers - especially if the pestilence prevails in wine and rose water triggered an excellent protection against the plague. Finally, says the author of " Gart " Wonnecke: If do not help in one of the diseases that have been mentioned above, the bolus armenicus, would help to rarely with other medications. From today's perspective is based, the operating principle of the internal use of Tonheilerde on the high surface area of the powder particles that can bind toxins; thus they act regulating acid, diarrhea and intestinal rehabilitation. This application areas correspond largely to the healing earth.
Written sources
In the Middle Ages
Before 1037 - Avicenna: Canon medicinae
- Bolus Armenus, lapis Armenus, lutum armenum
Before 1037 - Avicenna: Canticles
- Lutum Armenicum vel terra
Before 1066 - (pseudo ) Serapion / Ibn Wafid: aggregator
- Bolus Armenus, lutum armenum, Ten Armeni
Before 1087 - Constantinus Africanus: Liber graduum
- Bolus Armenicus, terra sigillata
Second quarter of the 12th century John Platearius: Curae
- Bolus Armenicus
Before 1150 in Salerno: Circa instans
- Bolus Armenicus, terra sigillata
1170 - Translation of Avicenna Canon medicinae by Guido of Cremona into Latin
- Lutum armenum
1290 - Translation of the aggregator by Simon of Genoa into Latin
- Terra sigillata
At the turn of the modern era
- Bolus Armenicus, Lutum armenum, Rötelstein; Terra sigillata, kieseliche matter
Frankfurt am Main 1557 - Adam Lonitzer: herb book
- White bolus, sealed white earth, terra sigillata in Germany in many places, Terra Hispanica, Terra Lemnia, Red bolus, bolus arms ( ic ) us, Lutum armenum
In the 17th and 18th centuries
Nuremberg 1685 - Dr.Johann Schroeder provided excellent medicine. Chymical pharmacy or highly commendable medicinal treasure
- Bolus, French Bol, German and bolus. In: Johann Heinrich Zedler: Large full Universal Lexicon Aller managed knowledge and skills. Volume 4, Leipzig 1733, column 510 f, 1733: " bolus Armena / Armenian bolus, Württemberg and Transylvania "
- Orientalis bolus / bolus armena seu orientalis / Lutum armenium / Terra armenium / Terra altra / bolus Armenian / Armenian Roth- Stone from the Levant and from Armenia, Toccay in Transylvania (bolus toccaviensem ) Wurttembergischer bolus
In the 19th century
Paris 1805-34 - Alexander von Humboldt: Voyage aux régions du nouveau continent équinoxiales. (36 deliveries ). - Journey to the equinoctial regions of the New Continent during the years 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1804 Submitted by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland. . First Part: Stuttgart and Tübingen 1815, second part: das. 1818, third part: das. 1820, fourth part: das. 1823, the fifth part: das. 1826, sixth part: das. 1829 Book VIII, Chapter XXIV S.555. -558
- Different soils, which are eaten by the indigenous population of South America with different modes of action
- Lemnian earth: It is known that even today still made in the Orient much use of the Bolar and Sicillar earth of Lemnos, which are commingled with iron oxide clay. ( S.558 )
- German clay: In Germany the workers strike in the sand quarries of Kiffhäuser mountain on their bread, instead of butter, a fine clay, which they call Stone butter. They thought he was very filling and easy to digest. ( S.558 )
Jena 1853 - Amalius Weisenberg: Dictionary of the total drug from the oldest to the latest time for physicians and surgeons studied
- Red bolus, terra sigillata rubra, white bolus alba terra sigillata, yellow bolus, bolus green
Written sources Lemnian inter alia stamped earth
Around 800 BC - Homer: Iliad
- Lemnian earth with an seal of Philoctetes; terra sigillata
300 BC - Theophrastus
- Clay from the island KEIOS (Balearic Islands)
1st century AD - Dioscorides: Materia Medica
- Lemnian earth with an seal of a goat; terra sigillata
- Red chalk or clay from SINOB on the Black Sea; Tone for craftsmen
1st century AD - Pliny: Naturalis historia
- Vermilion Lemnian Earth
2nd century AD - Galen
- Lemnian earth
- Alumina from Arezzo and Malta ( Italy)
Before 800 - Lorsch pharmacopoeia
- Bolus
Printed sources on earth at the turn of the modern era
1560 - Bernard of Oschatz
- Pottery from Laubach alumina ( Laubach in Hesse), Terra sigillata Strigonii ( Striegau in Silesia)