56 



SANSKRIT ItfATERIA MEDICA 



IRON PYRITES, 



Sana. ^mTfa^ Svarnamdjuhika, cTKwftrar Taramdkthika. 



Iron pyrites is met with in many parts of India, and has been 

 used in medicine from a very remote period. It occurs in two 

 forms, namely, in dark yellow nodules with a golden lustre, and 

 in silvery, radiated crystals. The former is called Srarna- 

 mdkshika and the latter TdramaJcshika. The ancients supposed 

 that they contained gold and silver respectively, in combination 

 with other ingredients, and possessed in part the properties of 

 those precious metals.* Chemically iron pyrites coisists of 

 bisulphide of iron. It is purified by being boiled in lemon juice 

 with one-third of its weight of rock salt in an iron vessel, tiJl the 

 pot turns red hot. It is reduced to powder by being rubbed with 

 oil or goat's urine and then roasted h'/n dosed crucible, Iron 

 , pyrites thus prepared has a sweetish hitter taste. It is coi idcred 

 as tonic, alterative and useful in anemia, urinary diseases, ascites, 

 anasarca, prurigo, eye diseases etc. As an alterative tonic it is 

 eneralJy used in combination with other medicines of its class, 

 such as iron, talc, mercury etc. The following is an example. 

 Take of prepared iron, sesamum seeds, long pepper, blank pepper 

 and ginger each one part, iron pyrites five parts. Beat into a 

 mass with honey. Dose about half a drachm in advanced anemia. 1 

 In diseases of the pregnant state the following called Oarbha- 

 vmoda rasa\ is much used, as an alterative tonic. Take of iron 

 pyrites and cinnabar, each four tolas, ginger, long pepper and 

 black pepper, each three tolas, cloves and mar . e-nch six tolas, 



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