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During the Middle Ages an extensive system, in part secret, of code names or symbolic letters2 or names3 for chemical substance was developed by the Jainacaryas. Toward the end of the eighteenth Century A. D. the Jaina alchemists began to make use of initial lettess of the names of elements and compounds instead of the older symbolic names, e. g. hāhātakam (gold)4, 'ro' iti pāro rasa (mercury), 'kha' iti Kharpara (mineral calamine), 'ma' iti manasala = manasila (realgar), ta' iti teti tamkana (borax), ha' iti heti haratāla (orpiment).5 A parallel development of alchemy was going on in the western world (Greek-Arab countries) during the Middle Ages. It is stated that "In a manuscript written in the tenth or eleventh century and now kept in St. Mark's library in Venice, the work of an Egyptian alchemist (the early chemists were called alchemiists), perhaps of the second century, A. D. is described. In this manuscript seven metals are identified with seven celestial bodies-gold with the Sun, silver with the Moon, lead with Saturn, iron with Mars, copper with Venus, tin with Mercury, and electron (an alloy of gold and silver) with Jupiter. These signs conventionnlly used for the bodies were used for the corresponding metals. Other symbols were also used, thus the symbol for iron was a complex symbol eontaining the symbol for iron.
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The second century-alchemist whose work is described in St. Mark's manuscript was endeavouring to make gold. The endeavour to make gold was continued by alchemists throughout the Middle Ages together with studies dealing with industrial processes, especially metalluragical processes and with the manufacture of drugs. In the course of the early work of alchemists, many chemical discoveries were made.
2. Ibid., ch. II 7; ch. III. 1.
3: Pitam [gold]. Ibid, ch. II. 1, 2. etc,
Taram [silver], Ibid., ch. 1. 10. etc, Svetam [Silver] Ibid., ch. I. 37. etc.
4. Ibid., ch. II. 7; bh. III. 1.
5. Ibid.
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1. "Dhammo mamgalamukiṭṭhamsa samjamo tavo/Deva vi tam namamsamti. jassa dhamme sada mano // SRSS, ch. 1 gāthā 1. Dhammo-paradah (mercury), ch. II. (comm). Mamgalam - Hemah (gold).
Ibid.
Ukkittham - Nepāladeśodbhavam tamram (Nepalese copper),. Ahimsa - Kamtheri, (A specics of opuntia), Ibid.
Samjamo - Rato Agathia (red Agasti glandiflora), Ibid. Tavo Kṛṣṇakauaka (black datura thorny apple].
Ibid.
Deva - pili Devali [yellow Andropogon serratus - pumpkin]. Ibid., SRSS., ch. II [vyakhyā)
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=
Ibid.
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