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History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c36.s1: Fixation of Mercury

History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c36.s1

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English

Fixation of Mercury

c36.s1.1

*Rasabandha*:—Processes for destroying the fluidity of mercury :.

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Take mercury and one-fourth its weight of *killed* gold and with the addition of sulphur make a ball. Now add an equal weight of sulphur and roast the mass in a covered crucible. 72

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The mercury thus treated is afterwards killed with six times its weight of sulphur. 73

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[The shining reddish-brown crystalline sublimate of sulphide of mercury thus obtained is a favourite and frequently used remedy with the Hindu physicians It is reputed to be a panacea for a variety of ills that human flesh is heir to. In the Rasendrachintamani and Rasendrasarasamgraha and other treatises, this preparation is described as *makaradhvaja* and *rasasindura* (lit. minium like mercury). From the supposed presence of gold it is often named *svarnasindura* (lit gold and vermilion). During sublimation, the gold, of course, is left behind. The general belief is that by association with gold the mercury acquires the most potent efficacy. A later work, Rasapradipa, is sceptical about the part which gold plays and recommends its being left out.]

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Incineration of Mercury

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(The chapter concludes with certain recipes for the *killing* of mercury, with the aid of purely vegetable products)

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Mercury, roasted in a covered crucible with asafoetida, which has been previously digested in the milky juice of *Ficus oppositifolia*, is reduced to ashes 111

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*Andropogon serratus* and *Clitoria ternatea* are to be pounded in a mortar with sour gruel and with the paste thus formed, mercury is to be triturated and digested seven times and finally roasted in a covered crucible after addition of fresh quantities of the above paste. The mercury is reduced to ashes, resembling salt. 112-113

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The seeds of *Achyranthes aspera* and *Ricinus communis* are to be pounded together The mercury is to be placed inside the powder and the mass roasted as before. The mercury is reduced to ashes. 114

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Purified mercury is to be preserved in the hollow of a horn or tooth or of bamboo. 119

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Here ends Chapter XI of Rasaratnasamuchchaya which treats of the purification, fixation and incineration of mercury.

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