Chalk
CretaHajar al-labant (Unani)
Fen Bi 粉笔 (TCM)
Chu skyur rdo ཆུ་སྐྱུར་ རྡོ་ (native calcium carbonate, Tibetan Medicine)
Native Chalk(Photo by Alina Zienowicz Ala z’) (Wikimedia)
Minerological name:
Native Calcium carbonate
Parts used:
Prepared Chalk
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Sweet, Bitter. Avicenna said it was moderate (Neutral) in temperature.
Classification:
2Z. CICATRIZING
Uses:
1. Clears Stomach Heat:
-used as an antacid in gastric acidity,
-Heart burn (Salmon)
-acid diarrhea, especially in infants.
2. Clears Damp-Heat, Stops Leakage:
-Diarrhea (as in Aromatic Chalk Powder)
-Edema (Ayurveda)
-Excess Sweating. (Ayurveda)
3. Benefits the Bones:
-native calcium carbonate is used to heal fractures in Tibetan Medicine (Drungtso)
4. Resists Poison:
-‘One of the best antidotes for Oxalic acid, the mineral acids, and Zinc Chloride’. (Squires)
5. Kills Worms:
-Given in milk to kill Worms in children. (Salmon)
6. Externally:
-Used externally to dry up excess dampness exuding from Wounds, Ulcers, moist Eczema and lesions (West, Ayurveda)
-Acne, Erysipelas
-Heat or Nappy Rash in babies (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-Chilblains
-Burns. (West, Ayurveda)
-topically for various inflammations and hot swellings (initial stages)
-Corns, Warts (Chalk paste made with water is applied)
-Hemorrhoids
-used in Tooth powders
-Eye Ulcers (Avicenna)
Dose:
1–4 grams in Powder
Correctives:
Chalk is commonly combined with Ginger to moderate its coldness.
Preparation:
1. To Purify Chalk (Ayurveda):
Chalk is washed in a clean vessel with pure water; then it is dried in the sun.
2. Prepared Chalk (West):
Take Chalk, 1 pound. Add a little water to it and rub it to a fine powder. Put it into a large vessel, and add enough water to cover generously. Stir a while, then pour off the water while sill turbid, into another vessel, and leave for the powder to settle on the bottom. Pour off the excess water and allow the remaining powder to dry out. Keep for use. (Royal Pharmacopeia of France, Charras)
Main Combinations:
1. Stomach Heat with Acid Reflux or Regurgitation, Stomach pain:
i. Chalk with Ginger and Rice Vinegar (TCM)
ii. Stoamch Heat, Acid reflux, Chalk, Burnt Deer Horn, Red Coral, Mace, Nutmeg, Clove (as in Troches for Stomach Heat)
iii. Chalk powder (1 oz.), Sugar (1.5 oz.), Distilled Oil of Nutmeg (3 drops), Water (2 lbs.) (as in Julep of Chalk). Some prepared a similar medicine with 1.5 oz. each of Chalk and Sugar, and 3 Nutmegs, powdered and mixed.
iv. Chalk, Nutmeg (2 drams each), Saffron (½ scruple)
v. for Hyperacidity, Chalk, Wormwood, Mint, Syrup of Quince
vi. Chalk, Crabs’ Eyes, Crabs Claws, Sugar, Oil of Nutmeg (as in Powder Against Stomach Pain)
vii. Chalk, Sugar, Crab’s Claws, Armenian (Red) Earth (as in Cardialgic Lozenges)
viii. Chalk, Crab’s Eyes, Licorice, Sugar, Nutmeg, Clove
ix. Chalk, Red Coral, Mace, Nutmeg, burnt Deer Horn Clove (as in Troches for Stomach Heat)
x. Chalk prepared with Rose water, Nutmeg, Licorice, Quince seed, Armenian Earth, Red Coral, Carp stone (prepared with
Plantain water), Mace toasted, Mastic, Saffron, White Sugar
3. Diarrhea:
i. Chalk with Dry Ginger (TCM)
ii. Chalk, Cinnamon, Tormentil, Gum Arabic, Long Pepper
iii. Chalk, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon (as in Aromatic Powder of Chalk–see below)
iv. Chalk, Armenian (Red) Earth, Syrup of Quince
v. Chalk, Alum, baked with Wheat meal.
vi. Diarrhea and Dysentery, Calamine with Chalk (West)
4. Cough, Chalk, Alum, Ginger juice (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
5. Acne, mix Chalk and Vinegar and apply
6. Erysipelas:
i. Chalk, Wormwood, Armenian (Red) Earth
ii. Chalk, Ceruse (1 oz.), Kaolin (2 oz.), Spirit of Camphor (sufficient to make a paste to make into balls). (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)
7. Pock marks or scarring, apply Chalk mixed with Sarcocolla, Melon seed, washed Rice, Armenian (Red) Earth, Egg White and Oil of Roses. (Wirtzung)
8. Heat or Nappy Rash in Babies, Chalk with Talcum as a powder
9. Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid), Chalk with Verdigris (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
10. Intertrigo (inflammation caused by skin rubbing on skin), Chalk (1 oz.), Alum (1 dram), Camphor (1 scruple) (Saunders)
11. Swelling or pain of the fingertips, Chalk powder and Lard are made into an ointment (TCM)
12. Hemorrhoids:
i. Take Chalk powder and add enough Olive oil to form a plaster and apply topically. (Wirtzung)
ii. Chalk, burnt Deer Horn, burnt Alum (equal parts, powder and apply)
13. Tooth Powder:
i. Chalk, Pomegranate peel, Tincture of Myrrh
ii. Chalk, Cuttlefish bone, Tormentil, Bistort, Myrrh, Orris (equal parts)
iii. Chalk with Cream of Tartar, Lacca, Cinnamon, Clove (Pharmacopee Usuelle, Louvain, 1821)
14. As a cosmetic, Chalk, Almond, Rice, Orris, Bean meal, Oil of Jasmine (as in Cosmetic Powder)
Major Formulas:
Julep of Chalk
Powder Against Heartburn
Aromatic Powder of Chalk
Troches for Stomach Heat
Cardialgic Lozenges
Ointment of Chalk.
Aromatic Powder of Chalk
(Pulvis Cretae Aromaticus)
Prepared Chalk 25 grams
Cinnamon 10 grams
Nutmeg 8 grams
Clove 4 grams
Cardamon 3 grams
Powder and mix well with 50 grams of Sucrose. Used for Diarrhea.
Dose: 0.5-5 grams.
Ointment of Chalk.
Chalk, washed 7 times 0.5 lb.
Wax 3 oz.
Oil of Roses 1 lb.
Stir them well (‘in a leaden mortar’), having first melted the Wax in a little of the Oil with gentle heat.
Very popular 17th Century Ointment for burns and scalds.
Cautions:
1. Due to its Coldness, and antacid effect, it should not be used in people with Cold or weak Stomach.
Main Preparations used:
Prepared Chalk