Of the precious stones, diamonds are much used in medicine. The rest are rarely used or not used at all.

Processing of Diamond
Diamond is purified by being enclosed within a lemon and boiled in the juice of the leaves of Agati grandiflora (vaka). It is reduced to powder in the following manner. A piece of the root of a cotton plant is beaten to a paste with the juice of some betel leaves. Both these vegetables should not be less than 3 years old. The diamond is enclosed within this paste and roasted in a pit of fire. The process is repeated 7 times, when the stone is easily reduced to a fine powder. Another process consists in roasting the diamond enclosed in a paste made of horn shavings, for 3 times in succession.

Benefits of Diamond
Diamond thus prepared is said to be a powerful alterative tonic that improves nutrition, increases the strength and firmness of the body and removes all sorts of diseases.

Dose of Diamond in Medicine
Diamond enters into the composition of several alterative and tonic medicines, such as the Trailakya Chintamani Rasa, Ratnagiri Rasa, Sarvanga Sundara Rasa, etc. These medicines are similar in composition. They all contain diamond, pearls, gold, iron, talc, mercury, etc., in varying proportions and are used in similar cases.

Trailakya Chintamani Rasa: Take diamond, gold and pearls, each 1 part, iron, talc and Rasa Sindura or red preparation of mercury, 4 parts each, rub together with the juice of Aloe Indica and make into 2 grain pills. This medicine is used as an alterative tonic with suitable adjuncts in various diseases.

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