History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c28.s1: Sulphur

History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c28.s1

Language: English

Sulphur

c28.s1.1

Sulphur is of three kinds: that of the first quality resembles the beak of a parrot; that of the second quality is yellow; whereas the white variety is the worst, Another authority says : there are four kinds of sulphur according as it is of white, yellow, red and black colour respectively .. the black variety is rare. 12-15

c28.s1.2

Melted sulphur is poured into the juice of *Verbesina calendulacea* and thus purified.

c28.s1.3

A vessel which contains milk has its mouth tied down with a piece of cloth, over which is deposited finely powdered sulphur; the latter again covered with an earthen bowl. Heat is applied from above by burning cow-dung cakes. The melted sulphur drops into the milk and is thus purified. 24-25

c28.s1.4

GAIRIKA

c28.s1.5

*Gairika* (red ochre) is of two kinds. the one, *pashana gairika*, is hard and copper-coloured ; the other is *swarna gairika*, i.e. of the colour of gold (yellow). 46

c28.s1.6

KASISA

c28.s1.7

*Kasisa* (sulphate of iron) is of two kinds. *valuka-kasisa* and *pushpa-kasisa*. (The former, termed in other works *dhatukasisa*, is the green variety and the latter, the basic or yellowish variety.) 51

c28.s1.8

Its essence is to be extracted like that of alum. 54

c28.s1.9

TUVARI

c28.s1.10

*Tuvari* (alum). the fragrant earth produced in the mountains of Surat is known as *tuvari*, which dyes cloth and fixes the colour of maddar. 59

c28.s1.11

A second variety of it, called *phataki* or *phullika*, is slightly yellow. Another variety, known as *phulla tuvari*, is white and acid in taste ; iron changes to copper by the process of *lepa*. (The author seems to convey the idea that alum plays an important part in this process. *Lepa* is used in the sense of transmutation of the baser metals.)

c28.s1.12

Alum is astringent, acid, beneficial to the eye and killer of mercury.

c28.s1.13

Alum is to be macerated in the bile of the ox one-hundred times and then its essence is to be extracted by distillation—a very secret process, not to be divulged.

c28.s1.14

TALAKA

c28.s1.15

*Tālaka* (orpiment) is of two kinds: the one is of a leafy structure, the other is found in balls or cakes and is of golden colour.... and bright.

c28.s1.16

It is purified by being digested in the juice of cucumber and the alkaline water of the ashes of sesamum, or in lime water.

c28.s1.17

*Tālaka* is to be rubbed with buffalo's urine and thrice macerated in the decoction of *Butea monosperma* of the consistency of honey, and then to be roasted in a covered crucible and powdered. This operation is to be repeated twelve times. It is then fit to be used in medicines. (Most likely a sulpharsenite of potash is formed in the process)