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The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s13: Lead

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s13

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English

Contents

Lead

c4.s13.1

*Sans.* सीसक, *Sisaka*. *Vern.* Sisá.

c4.s13.2

Lead is produced abundantly in India in the shape of the sulphide called galena. Galena is sold in the bazars under the name of *surma*, and is much used by the natives as a collyrium.

c4.s13.3

The red oxide of lead, or minium, was manufactured by the ancient Hindoos. It is known by the name of sindura, and is used by all married Hindu women as a paint for the forehead. Litharge or massicot, called murdasang in Hindustani, has no proper Sanskrit name and was unknown to the ancients. In some recent compilations it is occasionally introduced as a component of some compound preparations. Carbonate of lead, called saffedá, now common in the bazars and extensively used as a paint, is not mentioned by the ancient writers. The name saffedá is of Persian origin, and the article itself is an imported one.

c4.s13.4

Lead is purified and reduced to powder in the same way as tin. Lead thus prepared is a gritty powder of a greyish red colour. Chemically it is an impure carbonate of lead. Its properties are said to be similar to those of tin. It is seldom used internally except as a component of compound medicines containing a number of other metals. A probe made of lead is preferred for applying collyria to the eyelids.

c4.s13.5

The red oxide of lead, called sindura, is used externally in eruptive skin diseases in the form of ointment or liniment. Thus sindura and powdered black pepper mixed with butter is recommended to be applied in chronic eczema. An oil called Sindurádya taila¹ is thus prepared. Take of mustard oil one seer, water four seers, minium four tolás and cumin seeds eight tolás. Boil together in the usual way. This oil is used in eczema and other eruptive skin diseases.

c4.s13.6

¹ सिन्दुराद्यं तैलम् । सिन्दुराङ्गपच' पिष्टा जीरकस्य फल' तथा । कटुतैलात् पचेन्मानौ सद्यः पामाहरं परम् ।। चक्रः ।।

Galena

c4.s13.t1.1

*Sans.* अञ्जन, *Anjana*. सौविराञ्जन, *Sauviránjana*.

c4.s13.t1.2

Galena or sulphide of lead is called anjana or sauviránjana in Sanskrit, and krishna surmá in Vernacular. It is called anjana, which literally means collyrium or medicine for the eyes, from the circumstance of its being considered the best application or cosmetic for them. The other varieties of anjana mentioned are srotonjana, pushpánjana and rasánjana.

c4.s13.t1.3

सौवीरञ्जन Sauviránjana is said to be obtained from the mountains of Sauvira, a country along the Indus, whence it derives its name. The article supplied under its vernacular name surma is the sulphide of lead ore. Surmá is usually translated as sulphide of antimony, but I have not been able to obtain a single specimen of the antimonial ore from the shops of Calcutta and of some other towns. The sulphide of antimony occurs in fine streaky, fibrous, crystalline masses of a radiated texture. The lead ore on the contrary, occurs in cubic masses destitute of rays and is tabular in its crystalline arrangement.

c4.s13.t1.4

स्रोतोञ्जन Srotonjana is described as of white colour, and is said to be produced in the bed of the Jamuná and other rivers. It is called saffed surmá in the vernacular, and the article supplied under this name by Hindustani medicine vendors is calcareous or Iceland spar. It is used as a collyrium for the eyes, but is considered inferior to the black surmá or galena.

c4.s13.t1.5

पुष्पाञ्जन Pushpánjana is described as an alkaline substance. I have not met with any vernacular translation of this word, nor with any person who could identify or supply the drug. Wilson, in his Sanskrit-English Dictionary, translates the term as calx of brass, but I know not on what authority.¹

c4.s13.t1.6

¹ सौवीरञ्जनं कृष्णं कालनीलं सुवीरजम् । स्रोतोञ्जनं तु स्रोतोऽजं नदीजं यामुनं वरम् । सौवीरं ग्राहि मधुरं चक्षुष्यं कफवातजित् ॥ सिध्माक्ष्याक्ष्युच्छ्वीतं स्रोतोञ्जनमपोह्यथम् ॥ पुष्पाञ्जनं पुष्पकोलं रीतितं कुसुमाञ्जनम् । पुष्पाञ्जनं क्षारसुष्या काचार्म्मपटलापहम् ॥ मदनपालः ।

c4.s13.t1.7

रसाञ्जन Rasánjana is the extract of the wood of Berberis Asiatica called rasot in the vernacular. It will be noticed in its place in the Vegetable Materia Medica.

c4.s13.t1.8

Sauviránjana or galena is chiefly used as a cosmetic for the eyes, and is supposed to strengthen these organs, improve their appearance and preserve them from disease. It enters into the composition of some collyria for eye diseases. Galena, heated over a fire and cooled in a decoction of the three myrobalans for seven times in succession, is rubbed with human milk and used in various eye diseases.¹ Another collyrium prepared with lead is as follows. To one part of purified and melted lead, add an equal portion of mercury and two parts of galena, rub them all together and reduce to powder. Now add camphor, equal in weight to one-tenth part of the mass and mix intimately. This preparation is said to be useful in eye diseases.² From the composition and uses of lead and galena above described it would seem that by the term surmá the Hindus meant sulphide of lead, and not sulphide of antimony as is generally supposed.

c4.s13.t1.9

¹ अग्नितप्तं सौवीरं निषिञ्चेत् त्रिफलारसैः। सप्तवेलन्तथास्तन्यैः स्त्रीणां सिक्तां विचूर्णितम्। अञ्जयेन्नयनेतेन प्रत्यहञ्चक्षुषोर्हितम्। सर्वानक्षिविकारांस्तु हन्यादेतन्नसंशयः।। शार्ङ्गधरः।

c4.s13.t1.10

² शुद्धे नागे द्रुते तुल्यं शुद्धं सूतं विनिक्षिपेत्। कृष्णाञ्जनं तयोस्तुल्यं सर्वमेकत्र चूर्णयेत्। दशमांसेन कर्पूरं तस्मिन् चूर्णे प्रदापयेत्। एतत् प्रत्यञ्जनं नेत्रगदाञ्जिद्वयनमस्तमम्। शार्ङ्गधरः।

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