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Asia."’* Soubeiran & Thiersant, ‘La Matiére médicale chez les 
Chinois,’ 1874, p. 176, peen'y copying from Smith, to whom 
they ‘refer, state that Nua-vomica was introduced into China 
from the Mohammedan a ioe of Central Asia. Should these 
two references be reliable it would indicate that the seeds o 
Strychnos Nux-vomica entered China by way of the caravan 
routes of Central’ Asia, possibly via Khabul. But this would 
not preclude the possibility that ae also found their way to 
China by the sea route from Ceylon or S. India, which is no 
doubt the principal trade route for the: bias at the present day. 
In an earlier French account of Chinese Pharmacy by M. 
Debeauxt it is recorded under ‘‘ ma-tsien-tze semences de Noix- 
viagra La noix-vomique est introduite depuis longtemps 
* The following letter received from Mr. W. J. Tutcher, Superintendent, 
Botanical and Forestry Department, Hongkong, is of a with reference 
to the statement that Nu«-vomiea comes from Szechue 
“Seeds of Sirychnos Nu«-vomica be pur sa ies in the local 
Chinese drug Shor, tik all the information obtainable from the sellers 
is that they get them from Szec 
rovince of Szechue a hae é a aes at reputation aud vegetable drugs 
amongst the Chinese, id probably this is the reason the Chinese 
ay eon pgh rooted get ey aye from that hee 
other say they come from Szechuen is that 
ae ; ‘ot Moan 2 the Phere are ltes mgs as Strychnos seeds, 
and it is possible that the Momordica seeds ee e from that place, 
although I have ites opm nb on the subjec 
“ Since receiving your letter, on rear ‘for Strychnos Nua-vomica 
seeds, I obtained seeds of he Momordic 
“Tn Porter Smith’s ‘Materia Medica ‘of China,’ P. 156, you bias notice 
Sabie Chuteel aaiids GF Man-ebivioa are piven Sebsetnis h-pieh and 
Ma tsten tsze. Porter sent also mentions, at the ame pce, that 
seeds of Muricia (Momordica) are often confounded with Strychnos. 
‘In Hanbury’s Science vig la Ss, p. 230, the Chinese names of Muricia 
(Momordica) peck given as Muk-pee- fsxe and Fan-muh i-pee. 
“ The seeds ve just obtained [Momordica] were supplied as those 
of ae but with the Chinese name of Muh-pee-tsze 
“This is und ly the proper Chinese name a fdr these seeds. 
Sb tds foregoing Chinese names fan means foreign and isze means 
" The ee Chinese name of Bingeknos Nu«-vomica seeds is certainly 
~. Ma-tsien-t 
“Tam inforined by the Imports and Exports Office, Hongkong, that 
‘: ‘seeds of Momordica cochinchinensis are imported as Strychnos eet 
seeds under the name of Muk Pit se from Annam sad Haipho 
“Seeds of Strychnos Nuwaw-vomica were (and still are) obtainable in 
rae eet and 4 is probable that hy come from India. 
“In a note ave received from Mr. A. ®. Pullen, Govramen 
Apatheoury, Hongkong, he tide ‘ Momordica cochinchinensis seeds 3 
inly poisonous and a r to — ‘allo similar to i not 
identical with those contained i in Strychnos Nuz-vo 
“Some of the Chinese druggists fe that Ma ‘ania seeds can be 
obtained from plants aatie in Hongkong, but so far I have been 
unable e to obtain any of these seeds from the druggists 
+ seeds of Siesoh aes aes us-vemica teteak that si are smaller. 
aeared ¢ pe - eainiitere: is ieomgrns by some of We kines? 
tc 
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Re rsd i an sur la. » Pharmac et te matitre mdiale des 
