Tamils used Toxic Metals as Medicine?!

*This article is from my newsletter, Tamil Reflections Issue 24 | August 2026

How do you think ancient Tamils were preventing and curing diseases?

If you thought it was only through teas and herbs, think again.

Traditional Tamil medicine is commonly known as Siddha medicine.

Treatments, and methods within this system were written down on palm-leaf manuscripts, or orally passed down to apprentices and within families.

Now considering the generations of traditional knowledge disruption, today Tamils have an incomplete understanding of how some of these medicinal practises should be practised.

One being the use of heavy metals.

Though we use metals in medicine today, the preparation and usage appear to be quite different in Siddha medicine.

Czech scholar Dr. Kamil V. Zvelebil worked with Siddha practitioners and ancient Tamil texts to better understand Siddha medicinal methods, and living practices.

In the 1990s he itemized substances used in Siddha medicine to treat diseases, including 13 metals or metal combinations such as gold, silver, copper, brass, tin, lead and steel (Zvelebil, 2003). For example:

-Lead used in the treatment of leprosy, sexually transmitted diseases, sores and ulcers. 

-Bell metal for dropsy of the belly, rheumatism, arthritis and gout. 

-Oxide of iron for swelling, keeping blood in a healthy state and against severe poisoning.

First of all, how did ancient Tamil practitioners know these metals could prevent or treat these diseases? And how were these diseases we recognize today being identified and discussed then?!

Now, I am not telling you to blindly start using heavy metals.

In fact, an old Siddha saying advises using leaves, stems and roots first, with metals and minerals introduced only if those were ineffective (Zvelebil, 2003).

But, learning all of this left me with one big question:

What else are we missing when it comes to understanding our ancestors, and how can we learn about it?

Today, doctors and researchers around the world are still studying this medical system.

But you don't have to be skilled at reading manuscripts or be a researcher to learn more.

Many Tamil scholars point out that manuscripts hold only part of a people's knowledge, with oral tradition holding another piece.

Meaning, simply speaking to people can surprisingly deepen our understanding.

Something as simple as asking your family, “What remedies did your parents use growing up? Who taught them? Where did they learn it?” can tell us a lot.

This isn't for us to blindly follow everything we hear, but to document, question and investigate.

It's because you never know where one conversation may lead you.

That's exactly what happened to me.

Being able to have these conversations in Tamil with elders and locals has led me to introductions with practitioners, scholars and people carrying knowledge I otherwise may never have encountered.

To me, one of the most meaningful and empowering parts of being able to speak Tamil is that I can directly ask questions, and engage with knowledge holders.

It truly is a gift, and one I think we should embrace more.

P.S. If you want to have more of these conversations with your family and elders but don't feel confident speaking Tamil, consider joining my Spoken Tamil Essentials Course 

It's a live course designed to give you the foundational tools you need to confidently speak Tamil, so you can start exploring your roots yourself!