Page:A Short History of Aryan Medical Science.djvu/149

VII.] micturition and other urinary disorders. It is also credited with the power of curing gonorrhoea, jaundice and obesity.

The process of purifying lead is similar to that of tin. In order to make it fit for medicinal use cover the mass of purified lead with a coating of Manasshila macerated and rubbed up in betel-leaf juice, put it on the fire and repeat the process thirty times, when the metal is converted into bhasma, which is a vermifuge, and is recommended for chronic diarrhoea.

The method of preparing zinc bhasma is the same as that employed for tin. The medicine is a nervine tonic and is used in cholera and epilepsy.

Iron is purified by exposing it to the fire of a furnace and quenching it three times successively in oil, Kanjika, cow's urine and Kulatha. Then to twelve parts of the metal add one of Hingula and triturate in the juice of Ghritakumari (Indian aloes) for six hours ; expose it to the fire of Gajaputa (a square hole dug in the earth about two feet deep and two feet wide filled in with cow-dung cakes, in the midst of which the earthen vessel containing the metal to be roasted is put). After repeating the pro-