Distribution of Pearls and Peart-shell. IOI 
Reference has already been made (supra p,.89) to the 
placing of pearls in the mouths of deceased Hindus; a 
similar custom was practised by the “ mound builders” of 
the Mississippi valley (see p. 114). 
Pearls are frequently alluded to in Chinese literature 
as the depositories of Yang matter, and as such ranked 
among the bearers of vitality. Medical works declare that 
they can ensure and facilitate the procreation of children, 
and these same books say that pills made of pearls mixed 
with the blood from the comb of a cock and inserted in 
the eyes of a person who has suddenly expired, or lost 
his speech, can be useful in recalling the person to life.” 
The valves of Unio trentsinensts, the Ko-fen of the 
Chinese, are used by these people as a powder tn medicine, 
and occasionally as one of the ingredients of pills, as a 
substitute for the pearls from the marine pearl-oyster. On 
account of the costliness of pearls from the latter source, 
pills and powders made from them are said to possess 
marvellous powers of cure, and are even used in the treat- 
ment of small-pox.” 
It would seem that in China, and in other oriental 
countries, a distinction is made in the therapeutic pro- 
perties of so-called “ virgin” pearls and of those pierced 
or bored for stringing. One Chinese natural history states 
that bored pearls will not serve for medicine, for which 
87 
unpierced ones should be used 
Legends of “lightning pearls,” “ pearls shining during 
the night,” “pearls lighting like the moon,” ter ala, 
are current in considerable numbers in the native litera- 
$6 /oid., pp. 207 and 277. 
S6 Lovell, of. cé¢., pp. 75 and 102, quoting J. O. Desbeaux, ‘‘ Essai sur 
la Pharmacie et la Mati¢re Médicale des Chinois.” 
87 JXunz and Stevenson, of. c?/., pp. 308-9. Z 
