CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA 37 



them themselves or caused them to be sold by apothecaries. 

 The " Medicine Guild" in China to-day performs much the 

 same work, and its origin is long anterior to the Greek Rhizo- 

 tomoi. If, then, Chinese pharmacology is to-day several 

 centuries behind that of the Occident, there was a time when it 

 was equally far in advance. Marco Polo makes many references 

 to the value of Chinese drugs. For example : "All over the 

 mountains of the province of Tangut, rhubarb is found in 

 great abundance, and thither merchants come to buy it, and 

 carry it thence all over the world." 



All parts of the Chinese Empire contribute something to the 

 native pharmacy, but, with the exception of ginseng, cassia- 

 bark, camphor, and areca-nut, nearly all the more highly 

 valued drugs come from the forests and scrub-clad highlands 

 of the west. The famous drug, ginseng, the root of Aralia 

 quinquefolia, comes from Corea and Manchuria, and the best 

 quality sells for its weight in gold. To the Chinese this drug 

 is the radix vUcb, restoring strength, vitality, and power to old 

 and young. So precious is this " life-giving root " that the 

 best plants are, in theory, reserved entirely for the emperor's 

 use. On the Chinese system this drug unquestionably acts as 

 a strong restorative, tonic, and aphrodisiac, adverse Western 

 opinion notwithstanding. In the forests of the west certain 

 " bastard ginsengs " occur, but are little valued. 



Cassia-lignea, the bark, buds, and leaves of Cinnamomum 

 Cassia, comes from certain districts (Luk-po, Lo-ting) in Kwang- 

 tung and (Tai-wu) in Kwangsi, provinces in the south, where 

 it is largely cultivated and exported to all parts of the Empire 

 and elsewhere. Cassia-bark, " Kuei-p'i," is valued as a tonic, 

 stimulant, and condiment. Areca-nut, the seed of a palm 

 {Areca catechu), occurs in these southern provinces, and 

 also in Yunnan. It is also imported from Cochin-China. 

 Betel-chewing is not in general vogue among the Chinese, who 

 value the nuts more as a medicine, chiefly as an astringent and 

 anthelmintic. 



Camphor is in general use all over China. The most 

 valued kind is the Baros Camphor [Dryohalanops Camphora) , 

 imported from Malaysia (Borneo), the camphor produced 

 in Japan, Formosa, and Fokien from Cinnamomum Camphora 



