200 Panax quinquefolium. 
could not withhold his credence from their extravagant tales; but 
the experience of other Europeans, does not by any means coincide 
with his statement. They, on the contrary, believe it possesses little 
medicinal worth ; and refer the numerous beneficial effects ascribed to 
it by the Chinese, to the imagination of a people remarkable for their 
prejudices, civil, moral and religious. As a proof of this it may be 
mentioned, that they set a higher value upon those roots which have 
a fancied resemblance to the human form, (as in the root figured in 
our plate) and ascribe greater powers to them than to those of dif- 
ferent shapes. The Chinese name, and that given it by the North 
American Indians, have both reference to this fancied figure of a man. 
If Ginseng be admitted into the Materia Medica, it must be arrang- 
ed with demulcents, being nearly allied to liquorice. It will be per- 
ceived, on chewing the root, that the first impression on the palate is 
that of a saccharine substance: and on further mastication it is some- 
what mucilaginous and slightly bitter, with a little aromatic flavour. 
It has little or no odour. According to Lewis, it is much sweeter and 
more grateful than roots of fennel, which it is said to resemble; and 
differs remarkably from those roots, in the nature and pharmaceutic 
properties of its active principles; the sweet matter of the Ginseng 
being preserved entire in the watery as well asin the spirituous ex- 
horseback, a Mandarin who was in company with us, perceiving it, gave me one of 
these roots ; 1 took half of it immediately, and an hour afterwards, I was not the least 
sensible of any weariness. I have often made use of it since, and always with the same 
success. I have observed also, that the green leaves, and especially the fibrous parts 
of them, chewed, would produce nearly the same effect.” Phil. Trans. vol. xxviii. p. 239. 
