Volume 1

A history of Hindu chemistry from the earliest times to the middle of the sixteenth century, A.D / with Sanskrit texts, variants, translation and illustrations [Praphulla Chandra Rāy].

  • Prafulla Chandra Ray
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: A history of Hindu chemistry from the earliest times to the middle of the sixteenth century, A.D / with Sanskrit texts, variants, translation and illustrations [Praphulla Chandra Rāy]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A comparatively limited number of copies was printed in the first edition as it was feared that owing to its technical nature the work would appeal only to a select circle of readers. The exceedingly favourable reception accorded to it not only by the scientists and orientalists but also by the public in general both in Europe and in India has necessitated the bringing-out of a second edition. Some material additions have been made to the historical portion of the Introduction, throw- ing further light on the independent origin of the Hindu system of medicine and its priority to that of the Greeks. M. Berthelot, in the course of a lengthy and appreciative review in the '‘Journal des Savants,” Jan. 1903, expresses his regret at the absence of any thing which would remind us of the system- atic treatises of Zosimus and of the Greco-Egyptians” —a regret which will be shared in by every student of Hindu chemistry. But even the sable cloud is not without its silver lining. I hope, however, to deal with the theories underlying Hindu chemistry in the second volume. For the present, I have to