Part 1 - Characteristics of Brass (pittala)

Its varieties.

Riti or Pittala is of two kinds, yiz. (1) raja-riti and (2) brahma-riti or kaka-tundi. Raja-riti is that variety of brass which assumes the colour of copper after it is heated and immersed in kanji. Brahma-riti or kaka-tundi is that variety of copper which assumes a black colour, if treated in the afore-said way. Raja-riti consists of two parts of copper and one part of zinc, whereas brahma-riti is the product of copper, zinc, and lead.

Raja-riti is bitter, coarse, destroyer of worms, curer of hemorrhage, and purifier of the abdomen. It is cooling, but produces heat in the system, if combined with other materials.

Kaka-tundi is coarse, bitter, warm in its immediate effect, but cooling afterwards, destroyer of kapha and pitta, and curer of diseases affecting the spleen and the liver.

Both the varieties are curer of anemia and worms.

Characteristics of good and bad brass.

Good brass (pittala) is heavy, mild, yellowish, full of substance, malleable, soft, and smooth. Bad brass is blackish yellow, rough, course, ugly, brittle, yielding bad odour, and light. Such copper is not fit for being used in medicines.