History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c22.6

c22.6

One pala of tin should be taken and rubbed with ten *nishkas* of mercury and made into a cake with the addition of zinc; it is then to be digested with the decoction of certain herbs and plants and warm vinegar, and afterwards once more rubbed with half a pala of blue vitriol and the juice of *Abrus precatorius*. The mass is then to be divided into small pills; these should then be put into a crucible with the lid on and the fire to be urged by means of bellows. The essence is then to be taken out of the crucible. This essence of the weight of ten *sanas* is then to be enclosed in a mixture of ashes and salts, and roasted. This essence of the weight of two *nishkas* is then to be fused with eighty times its weight of lead * * * *. This (essence) is also termed *chapala*. The process obviously gives rise to a brass-like alloy of copper, tin, zinc and lead. Mercury is volatilized during roasting and fusion.