As early as 317 AD, Ge Hong documented the use of metals, minerals, and elixirs in early Chinese medicine.
æz ˈɜːli æz θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvəntˌiːn ˌeɪdˈiː, dʒˈiː hˈɑːŋ dˈɑːkjuːməntᵻd ðə jˈuːs ʌv mˈɛɾəlz, mˈɪnɚɹəlz, ænd ᵻlˈɪksɚz ɪn ˈɜːli tʃaɪnˈiːz mˈɛdəsən.