102 EDIBLE B1UTISH MOLLUSCA. 



Pearls from Meleagrina margaritifera are used in 

 medicine by the Chinese, in the composition of pills 

 and powders, and, naturally, they are said to have 

 marvellous powers of cure, on account of the costliness 

 of the ingredients. The following is a remedy called 

 Pao-lmig-che, which is used in the treatment of small- 

 pox. 



Tche-tcliong (red coral) ... 10 grammes. 

 ,, ,, (ruby) .... 4 grammes. 



Tchin-chou (fine pearls) . . 4 grammes. 



Teou-pau-hiang (musk) ... 6 grammes. 



Pe-tche-tse (bole earth) ... 3 grammes. 



Reduce all these substances to powder and mix them 

 well, then, with gum and water, make them into a 

 paste, then divide and roll into small pills, and gild 

 them.* 



The Pinna may be cooked in the following manner : — 



Pinna Soup. — Take five or six pinnce, according to 

 their size, and after they have been well washed, put 

 them into a saucepan on a slow fire until the shells 

 open ; then take out the fish. Chop some parsley very 

 fine, and put it with a tablespoonful of oil or an ounce 

 of butter, into a saucepan, and fry until it becomes 

 brown. To this add a pint of water, and, when it boils, 

 put in your fish, with a little salt and pepper. 



Sometimes vermicelli is boiled with it, when more 

 water must be added ; or take a slice or two of bread 

 nicely toasted, and, after cutting it up into small pieces, 

 put it into the soup before it is served. 



Products, Industrial Hist, of Birmingham,' &c, edited by Samuel 

 Timmins. 



* ' Essai sur la Pharmacie et la Matiere Medicale des Chinois, , par 

 J. 0. Desbeaux. 



