What is Sun-Metal?

[Phean]

I can't seem to find a thread that states source material for a few of the themes in M&B, but there is plenty in there that is clearly a reference. For instance, I'm pretty sure that Jerimus is a blatant Thomas Aquinas reference, and Dropsy was the old name for Edema. But for some reason this is bugging me, what the hell is sun-metal a reference to? I thought it might be zinc, but zinc was never used to treat Edema.

Just curious, sorry for being neurotic.

 

[Swadius 2.0]

Mercury?

 

[Berpol]

I think gold is the classic sun-metal though I have no idea if it was used for medical treatment.

 

[Phean]

Mercury is referred to as Quicksilver in game, and I can't find any back up for gold. I was hoping the writer simply made it up, but when there are several references in the same paragraph, I doubt that is the case.

Another thought is that it might be an old name for an herb.

All I come up with on internet searches, are mining companies, which deal largely in gold. So that may well be it, but considering how there are beverages that contain gold flecks, I doubt it causes a toxic reaction beyond lacerating the GI tract.

 

[Mabons]

Eh speak English for the love of god

 

[Adorno]

GI tract.

Gastro-intestinal tract.

Gold is the classic sun metal just like silver is the moon.

 

[Phean]

Eh speak English for the love of god

*Facepalm*

 

[Mabons]

Sorry did I not put enough smilies to emphasize sarcasm?

 

[radicalhit]

there are references in the game ? 

 

[Persnychite]

Years ago I worked in a large regional pharmacy and we used to stock gold compounds for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

 

[Kurt Zibling]

Gold has been used in certain medical tonics/treatments for centuries, I believe.

 

[Valdemar]

there are references in the game ? 

There are several references.

For instance...The little dialog with Matheld when you're near Wercheg (spelling?), describing how the Nords came to come to Calradia, is oddly familiar to the story of Vortigern and his invitation to the Saxons to settle in Britain as mercenaries.

 

[Dusk Voyager]

A substance called "drinkable gold" was once used as a medicine, but it was ineffective. Probably sun-metal is it.

I can't seem to find a thread that states source material for a few of the themes in M&B, but there is plenty in there that is clearly a reference. For instance, I'm pretty sure that Jerimus is a blatant Thomas Aquinas reference, and Dropsy was the old name for Edema. But for some reason this is bugging me, what the hell is sun-metal a reference to? I thought it might be zinc, but zinc was never used to treat Edema.

Just curious, sorry for being neurotic.

Jeremus is a Paracelsus reference. They have some things in common:
1. Jeremus opposes Galerian's methods as Paracelsus opposes Galen's.
2. They both think that the best sources of medical knowledge are natural examinations and "folk medicine".
3. Jeremus hints that when he was a university student, he involved himself in some brawls. Paracelsus also had odd habits like this, but unlike Jeremus, he never broke them.

 

[Ringwraith #5]

A substance called "drinkable gold" was once used as a medicine, but it was ineffective.

No wonder, if real gold was its basis. Gold is biologically inert.

 

[Adviser]

Ive heard/read about sun-metal, now if i only remembered where. 

 

[Vraid]

I eat it as a substitue for broccoli.

 

[SupaNinjaMan]

Sun-metal is what old alchemists called gold.

http://www.crystalinks.com/alchemynews.html
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/kollerstrom_gold.html

It’s the fiery heart-centre of the macrocosm, and gold is the Sun-metal. Feel the fiercely burning solar corona around, your heart of fire. Gold works as a heart-medicine

 

[kingofnoobia]

I can't seem to find a thread that states source material for a few of the themes in M&B, but there is plenty in there that is clearly a reference. For instance, I'm pretty sure that Jerimus is a blatant Thomas Aquinas reference, and Dropsy was the old name for Edema. But for some reason this is bugging me, what the hell is sun-metal a reference to? I thought it might be zinc, but zinc was never used to treat Edema.

Just curious, sorry for being neurotic.

I think Jeremus refers to Vesalius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesalius). Jeremus often contradicts an ancient writer, I think he's even called Galenus in-game, not sure though. Exactly what Vesalius did:

"In 1541, while in Bologna, Vesalius uncovered the fact that all of Galen's research had been based upon animal anatomy rather than the human; since dissection had been banned in ancient Rome, Galen had dissected Barbary Apes instead, and argued that they would be anatomically similar to humans. As a result, he published a correction of Galen's Opera omnia and began writing his own anatomical text. Until Vesalius pointed this out, it had gone unnoticed and had long been the basis of studying human anatomy. However, some people still chose to follow Galen and resented Vesalius for calling attention to such glaring mistakes."

I think he fits the bill even better than Paracelsus.

 

[plainshooter]

lol ive heard in a story or something: gold

 

[Lord Burgess1]

Could be anything really, proberly anything of yellowish colour (like gold)


I somehow doubt Jeremus quoted a 16th century doctor.