97 
and in those of the Himalayas. In the latter, it is asso- 
ciated both with gypsum and with sulphate of barytes in 
the neighbourhood of Mussooree. Tincana, the Sanscrit 
name for borax, is no doubt the origin of the Persian 
tinkar, and of the English tincal. An artificial compound, 
extensively used in India as a medicine, may be men- 
tioned with the above substances: this is the salt com- 
monly called bitnoben or bit-loben, and black salt {kala 
nimuk), which consists of muriate of soda, oxide of iron, 
and some impurities. There is some difficulty in ascer- 
taining the identity of all the above substances, with those 
known to Dioscorides ; but it is interesting to remark, 
that all those which are now produced in Egypt, are also so 
in India. The ancients were no doubt acquainted with 
argol and potash, impure Bitartrate and Carbonate of 
Potass., as rpvl; seu Fsex vini, Diosc. v. c. 13. must have 
afforded the former, and reipptx KM/*arivni, or Sarmentorum 
cinis, Diosc. v. c. 134, the latter. The Sal Indus of old 
authors, has, by some commentators, been thought to be 
sugar, and by others to be Tabasheer ; but it has not yet 
been definitively determined. 
Many earthy minerals were employed by the Greeks, 
and are described in the works of the Arabs ; none are, 
however, stated to be the produce of India ; most, indeed, 
were obtained in the Mediterranean region. Some are 
found in Indian bazars, no doubt introduced in conse- 
quence of the prevalent use of Persian translations of Arab 
Medical works ; but the different ochres and clays do not 
afford distinctive enough characters to enable us always to 
recognise them by the short descriptions appended to their 
names. The substance in the present day known as Red 
Earth, or Indian Red, is obtained from the islands of the 
Persian Gulf. Talc, introduced by this name into medicine 
by the Arabians, is supposed to be the Terra Samia of the 
o 
