A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c50.s1.5

v3.c50.s1.5

Chapter eight (sarvaṇādivaṅgāntamāraṇa; 101 verses) begins with an enumeration of the group of twelve metals and allied substances; the eight metals (lauha) consist of: gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, and three kinds of iron: kānta, tīkṣṇaka, and muṇḍa; the three alloys (upalauha) are: kāṃsya, āra (= pittala) and ghoṣaka; maṇḍūra is the twelfth item (1–2). Described in this chapter are the purification and killing of gold, silver, copper, lead and tin.