This invention is commonly used frequently in our modern world and has been a significant invention. Called the "fire drug", this weapon was used as a smoke screen and poisonous gas in many wars. Invented in 1040 A.D., it's 'recipe' for making it was placed in the Wu Ching Tsung Yao's military manual. It's components were sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal, pitch, and varnish among other things. In the book it had a specifc reference to the 'recipe' and I'm not going to be an idiot and put it on the Internet. Anyway, the 'fire drug', helped set up armies formations by setting a smoke screen and a setting off a subdeadly poisonous gas which the generals joke, "Would only make the men profously bleed from the mouth and nose." This weapon was launched from a catapult cannon and is yet another invention. This is just a very short summary on the history of gunpowder. If you want to learn more, read some books.
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