A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v2.c33.15

v2.c33.15

In the first Volume of our History the detailed description of preparing caustic alkali from the ashes of plants has been quoted at length from the Susruta and we referred to it "as a proof of the high degree of perfection in scientific pharmacy achieved by the Hindus at an early age."* M. Berthelot has no less been struck with the originality of this process; indeed, he goes so far as to suggest that this portion in the Susruta is evidently modern and in fact a later addition derived from contact with the European chemists. †