Iron in Ancient India c7.s5.t1.12

c7.s5.t1.12

Of the compounds of iron the oxides of iron and the sulphide were artificially prepared and used in the Hindu system of medicine. The chloride of iron was also probably known but seldom used. The Buddhist alchemist Nāgārjuna (second century A.D.) is universally credited as the discoverer of the process of "killing" metals and specially iron. For example Chakrapāni (eleventh century) in describing the process of killing iron says: "I shall now describe the science of iron as promulgated by the sage Nāgārjuna." The author of *Rasendra-Chintāmani* also does the same.¹