Lauhasava.2 Take of powdered iron, of the three myrobalans, ginger, long pepper and black pepper, ajwain, baberung seeds, plumbago root, and tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), each thirty-two tolas, honey eight seers, treacle twelve and a half seers, water one hundred and twenty-eight seers. Powder the solid ingredients and steep them in the honey and water in an earthen jar smeared with ghee, for a month, or till complete fermentation takes place. This iron-wine is said to be tonic and stomachic, and useful in anaemia, spleen, anasarca, ascites, enlargements of the abdominal viscera, piles etc.

A'malakάdya lauha.1 Iron enters into the composition of several medicines for haemorrhagic diseases, such as the Khandakάdya lauha, Sudhdnidhi rasa, A'malakadya lauha etc. We will here transcribe the mode of preparing the last which is the simplest and shortest. Take of emblic myrobalan and long pepper, each one part, sugar two parts, prepared iron four parts, powder and. mix them together. Dose six to twelve grains in haemoptysis, haematuria etc., with suitable adjuncts.

Guda mandura.2 A preparation nearly similar to the above and called Guda mandura is used in dyspepsia. It is composed of old treacle, emblic and chebulic myrobalans one part each, and iron rust three parts. These are rubbed together with honey and ghee, and made into boluses about a drachm each. One of these is taken in divided doses before, along with, and after meals, in dyspepsia with pain after digestion.

Vidyάdharάbhra.3 Take of baberung seeds, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka), the three myrobalans, gulancha, root of

Baliospermum montanum (danti), of Ipomoea Turpethum (trivrit), of Plumbago Zeylanica (chitraka), ginger, long pepper and black pepper, each two tolas, prepared iron thirty-two tolas, old iron rust thirty-two tolas, prepared talc eight tolas, purified mercury one tola and a half, sulphur two tolas. Rub together the sulphur and mercury, then mix them with the other ingredients, add sufficient ghee and honey, and rub them together for twelve hours. Preserve the confection in an earthen pot smeared with ghee. Dose from ten to thirty grains with milk or cold water. This medicine is used in chronic dyspepsia, especially in that form of the disease in which the pain comes on after digestion is completed, and in chronic fever, diarrhoea, phithisis etc.

Navάyasa lauha.1 In anaemia iron is much used in a variety of forms. The following compound powder called Navάyasa lauha is a popular and well known medicine. To prepare it take of ginger, long pepper, black pepper, the three myrobalans, baberung seeds, tubers of Cyperus rotundus (mustaka) and plumbago root, each one part, prepared iron nine parts, powder the ingredients and mix. Dose four grains, gradually increased to eighteen grains, to be taken with honey and ghee. This medicine is used in anaemia, jaundice, piles, heart disease etc. It is given on the first day in four-grain dose. Every second day the dose is increased by two grains till the maximum quantity is reached. The above preparation with the addition of one part of the watery extract of gulancha is called Guduchyadi lauha,1 and is given in burning of hands and feet and in diseases supposed to be caused by deranged air.

Mahάsvάsari lauha and Pippulάdi lauha2 are the two forms in which iron is used in asthma. They are similar in composition. The former is thus prepared. Take of prepared iron four tolas, prepared talc one tola, honey and sugar four tolds each, the three myrobalans, liquorice root, raisins, long pepper, kernel of jujube fruits, bamboo-manna, tάlisapatri (leaves of Pinus Webbiand), baberung seeds, cardamoms, root of Aplotaxis auriculata (kushtha), and flowers of Mesua ferrea (nagakesara), each one told, powder and rub them together in an iron mortar. Dose about one seruple, to be taken with honey two or three times a day.

In enlarged spleen Rohitaka lauha is the favourite form in which iron is used. It will bo described under Rohitaka (Amoora Rohitaka). In enlarged liver the following called Yakridari lauha3 is used. Take of prepared iron, talc and copper, each four tolas, root of Citrus Bergamia (limpάka) eight tolas, burnt deer-skin eight tolάs, rub them together with water and prepare a pill-mass. Dose grains nine to eighteen in enlarged liver, spleen, jaundice etc.

In anasarca, iron is given in combination with carbonate of potash, as in the following called Tryushanάdi lauha. 1 Take of yavakshara (impure carbonate of potash), ginger, long pepper and black pepper, one part each, iron four parts. Make into six-grain pills with water.

In erysipelas, carbuncles and boils the following called Kάlάgnirudra rasa2 is recommended. Take of mercury, sulphur, prepared talc, iron, iron rust, and iron pyrites, each one part, rub them together with water, and roast the mixture within a covered crucible; when cool add to it one-tenth part of its weight of aconite, mix intimately, and divide the mass into twenty-two grain pills.

In urinary diseases the following, called Meha mudgara rasa,3 is used. Take of rusot, black salt, wood of Berberis Asiatica (dάruharidrά), root of AEgle Marmelos (bilva), Tribulus terrestris (gokshura), pomegranate seeds, chiretta, long pepper-root, long pepper, black pepper, ginger, the three myrobalans and root of jpomoea Turpethum (trivrit), each one tola, prepared iron fifteen tolas, bdellium eight tolas, mix them together and beat into a uniform mass with ghee. Dose twenty-two grains with water or goat's milk. This medicine is said to be useful in gonorrhoea, strangury, chronic fever, anaemia, jaundice etc.

Vrihat Somanάtha rasa.1 Take of mercury obtained by subliming cinnabar and purified with the juice of Erythrina Indica (pάri-bhadra), and of sulphur, rubbed with the juice of Salvinia cucullata (Leanda) each one part, prepared iron four parts, prepared talc, tin, silver, kharpara or calamine, iron pyrites, and gold, each half a part. Rub them together with, and soak in the juice of Aloe Indica (ghritakumari) and Hydrocotyle Asiatica (mandukaparni) and divide into four-grain pills. They are administered with honey in diabetes and other urinary diseases, female complaints etc. A preparation similar to the above in composition, and called Somesvara rasa is given in leucorrhcea and other female complaints. Besides the preparations mentioned above numerous other combinations of mercury, iron and talc with the addition of gold, silver, copper etc, in varying proportions and combinations, are described under different names. In fact the three first mentioned drugs constitute the basis of the great majority of the pills used by Kavirάjas.

Iron forms an ingredient of hair dyes. The following is an illustration. Take of powdered iron two tolas, mangoe stones five tolas, chebulic and emblic myrobalans two tolas each, belleric myrobalan one tola, rub them together with water in an iron vessel and steep for one night. This paste is applied to grey hairs for turning them into black.2