The precious metals were used also as powerful cures. Chaucer says, "for {61} gold in physick is a cordial." Some think that our own use of chloride of gold a few years ago for many chronic ills had little more reason than the preciousness of gold impressing itself on patients. Inscriptions were made on the metals, and these were supposed to add to their healing or preservative quality. Famous among these was the abracadabra. It had to be written in a particular triangular form, and was then very powerful. Here the amulet invades the sphere of the charm. Prayers were written on parchment, or on paper, or on papyrus, in the old time in Egypt, Babylon and Assyria, and when worn about the body were supposed to do great good. It is surprising to us now how many physicians and scientists placed confidence in these things because they thought that they had seen good results. Alexander of Tralles recommends a number of them. Robert Boyle, the father of chemistry, says that he was cured of a severe ague, that the doctors could not benefit, by the application of an amulet to his wrists. Burton, in the "Anatomy of Melancholy," has a series of references that show how much he, himself, and the educated men of his time, believed in the power of amulets to help in illnesses and Boyle, particularly, has a number of references to precious stones and their curative virtue. Rings in Therapy.--Under Faith Cures I mention the cramp rings blest by the Queen of England and effective against abdominal pains. Other kinds of therapeutic rings were used rather commonly. All through the Middle Ages iron rings were worn, which were good for colic and biliousness and also for rheumatic pains. There are literally thousands of such rings worn now, here in the United States, and by quite intelligent people. Personally, I know of more than a dozen cases where they have been worn for years. The wearers faithfully take them off each day, rub off the rust which collects on the inside, call their own and others' attention to the fact that all this material has been drawn out of the body through the supposed electrical power of the ring, and then they replace them. Here is pseudo science obtruding itself. Usually these rings are of polished steel and look a little like silver. They may, however, be obtained in gold plate, and then are supposed to be quite as efficacious. The iron or steel rings cost two dollars each; gold-plated rings cost five to ten dollars, according to the ability of the patient to pay, for metallotherapy has as one of its effects the lessening of congestion of the purse. Those who wear them would not part with them, because they feel the benefits derived. These rings are supposed to be particularly good for vague, painful conditions in the joints, especially the so-called rheumatic pains.