History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c36.s7.22

c36.s7.22

The Bhavaprakasa, written about 1500 A.D., prescribes calomel in the treatment of *phirangaroga* (lit. the disease of the Portugese; i.e., syphilis) and gives the following recipe: "Take of purified mercury, *gairika* (red ochre), brick-dust, chalk, alum, rock-salt, earth from ant-hill, *kshari lavana* (impure sulphate of of soda), and *bhandaranjika* or red earth, used in colouring pots, in equal parts; rub together and strain through cloth. Place the mixture in an earthen pot, cover it with another pot, face to face, and lute the two together with layers of clay and cloth. The pots so luted are then placed on fire and heated for four days, after which they are opened, and the white camphor-like deposit in the upper part is collected for use."