/ 



272 



« 



forked, tranfverfely wrinkled, of a horny texture, and botli internally 

 and externally of a yellowifli white colour. " To the tafte it dlfcovers 



a 



mucilag 



fweetnefs, approaching to that of liqu 



panied with fome deg 



of bitteriUmefs 



accom- 



d 



a 



flight 



■% 



omatic 



warmth, with little or no fmell. It is far fweeter and of a moreg 

 ful fmell than the roots of fennel, to which it has by fome been fup 

 pofed fimilar ; ar 

 the nature and ph 



d difFers^likewife remarkably from thofe roots, in 



eutic properties of its active principl 



is ; the 



fweet matter of the Ginfeng being preferved entire in the wateVy as 

 ■well as the fpirituous extrad:, whereas that of fennel roots is deftroyed 

 or diflTipated in the infpifTiation of the watery tindure. The flight 

 aromatic impregnation of the Ginfeng is like wife in good meafure re- 

 tained in the watery extrad, and perfedly in the fpiri 



The Chinefe afcribe extraordinary virtues to the root of Ginfeng 

 and have long confidered it as a fovereign remedy in almofl: all difeafes 

 to which they are liable, having no confidence in any medicine unlefs 



s 



omb 



with it. It is obferved by J 

 Phyficians in China have written volum 



that the mofl: 



r 



the medicinal 



immediate relief in extreme 



powers of this plant, afferting that 



fatigue, either of body or mind, that it diflfolves pituitous humours 



% 



and 



nders refp 



eaf) 



ftrengthens the flomach, promotes 



appetite, flops vomitings, removes hyflerical, hypochondriacal, and 

 nervous affedions, and gives a vigorous tone of body, even in extreme 

 old age.'' Thefe, and many other effeds of this root, equally impro- 



bable and 



g 



are 



related by 



authors, and J 



was fo much biafl!ed by this eaftern prejudice in favour of Ginfeng 

 that he feems to have given them full credit, and confirms them in fome 



meafure from his 



experience 



But we know of 



proofs 



ot 



the 



L 



t Lewis, M. M. p. 325. ' 



w 



See alfo Decker, (Exercit. praSi. p. m. 670.) 



fays, " Nobody can imagine that the Chinefe and Tartars would (et (o 



ftantly produce a good effect 



I 



ftate of my pulfe, and then took half of a root f-aw : in an hour after 1 found my 

 much fuller and quicker? I had an appetite, and found myfelf much more vigoroui 

 could bear labour much better and ealier than before. But I 



and 



gining that this alteration might proceed from the reft we had that ^^^ '^ |Jy 



v_ 



N 



