62 BOTANICON SINICUM. 7 
The Pen ts‘ao kang mu being properly a Materia medica, the — : 
greater part of its chapters, devoted apparently to natural history, a 
is filled with medical discussions and prescriptions; the notices 
regarding the habits, form and locality of natural products, and : 
their application for economic purposes, the only items which — 
have any interest for us, are merely appendages to them. 
Li Shi chen, in treating of the several kinds of natural objects, 
minerals, plants, animals, ete., follows in every case the same 
system. Each drug is headed by its most common name, 
written in large characters. The names of the authors and works 
quoted are for the most part in brackets. The matter relating to 
each article is divided into paragraphs. ‘he first contains the 
name and the synonyms of the plant, indicating the works where 
these names first occur. The second, #2 % (explanation of names), 
gives the etymology of the names, In the third, 4 fi, we find, 
besides the botanical description, statements regarding the history 
and the native locality of the plant, its use for economical or 
industrial purposes, and other particulars of interest. In some 
cases, under the heading jf @§, there are corrections of errors 
and instructions for preventing the improper use of the article as 
a medicine. In the fourth paragraph, #s i@, the mode of pre- 
paring the officinal parts of the plant for medical use is detailed. 
In the fifth, $@ I, taste and smell, the qualities of the air and 
the nature of the drug are noticed.” It is also stated here whether 
jincnscisboll 
2L According to the ancient Materia medica of Shen nung the JY RB sz’ kt are 
the four conditions of temperature, according to which the drugs have the properties of 
3E han, cold . ii wen, warmth 
a je, heat ed liang, coolness. 
But other ancient medical authorities understand by sz’ ki the four smells, K‘ou tsung 
shi (12th century) observes that cold, heat, warmth and coolness are properly the JY 
82’ sing, or four natures. The four smells are the fojlowing : 
F hiong, fragrant WBE sing, frouzy (?) 
5 ch‘ou, fetid JBB tsao, rank (2). 
The following examples are adduced : : sk 
Gypsum is considered a drug of a cold nature ; Cassia-bark is hot ; Pinelli — 
tuberifera is warm ; Peppermint is cool, 
Fragrant smell; Aloe-wood, Sandal-wood, Camphor, Musk, 
_ Fetid smell: Garlic, Asafcetida. 
- Frouzy smell: Fowls, Fish, Ducks, Snakes, 
Rank smell: Foxes, Human excrement, 
