Abhra.

Four varieties of talc are described by Sanskrit writers, namely, white, red, yellow and black. Of these the white variety is used as a substitute for glass in making lanterns etc, and the black variety called vajrabhra is used in medicine. It is of a black colour, hard and heavy, and generally known by the name of krishnabhra or shedbhra.

Talc is purified in the following manner. It is first heated and washed in milk. The plates are then separated and soaked in the juice of Amaranthus polygamus ( tandulia ) and kanjika for eight days. Talc thus purified is reduced to powder by being rubbed with paddy within a thick piece of cloth, when the powdered talc passes through the pores of the cloth in fine particles and is collected for use. Talc, thus reduced to powder, is called dhάnyάbhraka. It is prepared for medicinal use by being mixed with cow's urine and exposed to a high degree of heat within a closed crucible, repeatedly for a hundred times. Sometimes the process is said to be repeated a thousand times. When this is the case, the preparation is called sahasra putita abhra and sold at high price (eight rupees per tola). It is considered to be of superior efficacy. Prepared talc is a powder of brick-dust colour and a saline, earthy taste. Chemically it consists of silicate of magnesia with iron in excess. It is considered tonic and aphrodisiac and is used in combination with iron in anaemia, jaundice, chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, chronic fever, enlarged spleen, urinary diseases, impotence etc. Its efficacy is said to be increased by combination with iron. Dose, grains six to twelve.

Jvarasani rasa.1 Take of mercury, sulphur, rock salt, aconite and copper, one part each, prepared iron and talc, five parts each, rub together with the juice of Vitex Negundo leaves, then add one part of black pepper and make into two-grain pills. They are administered with the juice of betle leaves in chronic fever and enlarged spleen.

Agnikumάra rasa.2 Take of mercury, sulphur, borax, iron, aconite, ginger, long pepper, black pepper, ajowan and opium each one part, prepared talc ten parts, rub together for three hours with the decoction of Plumbago rosea (rakta chitraka) and make into pills of the size of black peppers. This preparation is used in chronic diarrhoea and indigestion.

Sulachanάmritάbhra.l Take of prepared talc eight tolas, rub it with eight tolas each of the fresh juice or decoction of the following drugs, namely, pulp of Ziziphus Jujuba (kola), Chavica officinarum (chavikά), root of Andropogon muricatus (usira), pomegranate fruit, lemon juice, emblic myrobalan and Oxlais corniculata (amlalonikά), and make into pills about six grains each. This medicine is used in loss of appetite, disinclination for food, dyspepsia, vomiting, urinary diseases, anasarca and debility. It is tonic, alterative and aphrodisiac. The preparation called Kandarpa kumάrάbhra is very similar to the above in composition. In disorders of the urine the following called Harisankara rasa2 in used. Soak some prepared talc in the juice of emblic myrobalans seven times in the course of a week and make into two-grain pills.

Arjunάbhra.3 In heart disease talc is used with the juice of the arjuna bark which last is considered a specific for this complaint. Arjunbhra is prepared by soaking some prepared talc in the juice of the bark of Terminalia Arjuna, seven times, and dividing the mass into two-grain pills. In phthisis and chronic bronchitis the following called Sringarabhra1 is used. Take of prepared talc sixteen tolas, camphor, cardamoms, nutmegs, mace, cloves, root of Pavonia odorata (bάlά), Pothos officinalis (gajapippuli), leaves called tejpatra, jatamansi root, leaves of Pinus Webbiana (talisapatra), cinuamon, flowers of Mesua ferrea (nάgakesara), root of Aplotaxis auriculata (kushtha), flowers of Woodfordia Flori bunda (dhάtaki) and purified sulphur, each one tola, mercury half a tola. Powder the ingredients, mix and make into four-grain pills with water. One pill at a time is to be chewed with betle leaves and ginger, and a little water is to be taken afterwards. The pills may be taken three or four times daily. The diet should consist of ghee, milk and broth. Mohάlakshmi bilάsarasa.2 This preparation is used as an alterative tonic and aphrodisiac in general debility, impotence etc. To prepare it, take of talc eight tolas, mercury four tolas, sulphur four tolas, tin two tolas, silver one tola, orpiment one tola, copper half a tola, gold half a tola, camphor, nutmegs and mace, each four tolas, seeds of Argyreia speciosa (bridhadάraka) and of datura, two tolas each. Mix together, rub with the juice of betle leaves and make into pills of about six grains each. Another preparation of composition similar to the above is called Manmάthabhra rasa. It is, as its name implies, intended for the votaries of Cupid.

Galitakushthάri rasa.1 Take of mercury, sulphur, prepared copper and iron, bdellium, plumbago root, silajatu, nux vomica, and the three myrobalans, each one part, prepared talc and the seeds of Pongamia glabra ( karanja), four parts each, rub together with honey and ghee, and preserve in an earthen pot smeared with ghee. Dose about a drachm. It is given in leprosy with ulceration of the toes and fingers. The diet should consist of fine rice, milk, sugar and honey. The patient must live apart from his wife.