A History of Hindu Chemistry, vol. 1

THE TANTRIC PERIOD

(From 1100 A. D. to circa 1300 A. D.)

CHAPTER I

CHEMISTRY IN RASARNAVA

PAGE

Extracts from Book IV—On Apparatus and the Colour of Flames—Dola Yantram Dola Yantram: a swing apparatus used for boiling or steaming—An Apparatus for Killing Metals—Garbha Yantram—Efficacy of the Apparatus—Hamsapáka Yantram—Crucibles—Colour of Flames—Tests of a Pure Metal—Koshtí Apparatus—Colophon Colophon: a concluding statement to Chapter IV—The Alkalies—The Maharasas Maharasas: the chief minerals or metallic substances in alchemy—Copper from the Pyrites—Brass from Calmine Calmine: an ore of zinc and Copper Mistaken for Gold—Extraction of Zinc from Calmine—Saurashtri Saurashtri: a mineral substance, likely alum—The Metals—The Killing of Metals—Purification of Quicksilver—Killing of Mercury—Killing of Gold—Tests for Killed Mercury—Colouring of Metals . . . . . . . . . . 64

THE IATRO-CHEMICAL PERIOD

(From 1300 A. D. to circa 1550 A. D.)

CHAPTER I

CHEMISTRY IN RASARATNASAMUCHCHAYA

Colophon—The Rasas Rasas: substances, particularly quicksilver or mineral drugs—Abhra—Vaikránta—Copper Pyrites—Vimala—Silájatu—Sasyaka—Extraction of Copper—Chapala—Rasaka—Extraction of Zinc—The Uparasas Uparasas: secondary or inferior minerals or Inferior Rasas—Sulphur—Gairika—Kásisa—Tuvarí—Tálaka—Manassila—The Añjanas Añjanas: collyriums or eye-washes—The Common Rasas—Navasára and other Rasas—The Gems—Vajram—General Process of Reducing Gems to Ashes—On Metals—Gold—Silver—Copper—Iron—Tin—Lead—Brass—Bell-Metal, etc.—