Page:A History of Hindu Chemistry Vol 1.djvu/198

48

The only references to mercury, which are however very vague, are तारः सुतारः ससुरेन्द्रगापः सर्ब्बैश्च तुल्यः कुरुविन्द गागःभागः [sic]; and: रक्तं श्वेतं चन्दनं पारदञ्च काकोल्यादिः क्षीरपिष्टश्च वर्गः।

Six metals are recognised, namely: tin, iron, lead, copper, silver and gold. The thin leaves of the metals by being plastered over with a paste of "the salts" (see p. 46) including common salt, salt-petre and sulphate of magnesia and afterwards subjected to roasting were no doubt converted into their respective oxides, chlorides or oxychlorides as the case may be. We have thus in