A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c18.s7.15

v1.c18.s7.15

For this purpose, however, the metal must be obtained in a fine state of division. This is done rather ingeniously by melting the material and, while molten, by suddenly dropping it in water. By this means the metal is at once reduced to a fine powder without the expenditure of any manual labour in the way of hammering. Care, however, should always be taken to see that the vessel of water in which the molten metal is dropped has a wide mouth. On one occasion, at which we were present, the liquid metal was poured into a narrow-mouthed vessel, and the steam suddenly generated was so great and powerful as to very nearly cause an explosion.