^8 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



be characterized by the presence of a volatile oil, carminative 

 and stomachic in its action. Consequently some of them are 

 used as condiments, and all are used to give flavor to the 

 amylaceous basis of the ordinary Chinese diet. The character 

 ^, however, is applied as well to all kinds of nitrogenous food ; 

 the 21 H being the five kinds of food forbidden to the Buddhist 

 priesthood and to fasting persons generally. These are the 

 flesh of the horse, dog, bullock, goose, and pigeon. The 

 geomancers enumerate as the |^, garlic, rocambole, leek, rue, 

 and coriander ; the Taoists, leek, shallot, garlic, rue, and 

 coriander ; and the Buddhists, rocambole, garlic, assafoetida, 

 onion, and scallion. Among the common people, however, ^, 

 while including these articles, more properly refers to animal 

 flesh ; the lean parts being termed ^ |^ and the fatty parts 

 f^ ^. Chinese patients usually request directions as to the 

 eating of these various kinds of food. 



The medicinal virtues of garlic are considered to be many. 

 It is thought to have a special influence upon the spleen, 

 stomach, and kidneys, acting as a sedative and removing 

 poisons. It is supposed to correct the unwholesomeness of 

 water, to destroy the noxious effect of putrid meat and fish, 

 and to prevent goitre and pestilential diseases. 



ALLIUM SCORDOPRASUM.— ;^ ^ (Ta-suan), ^ ,^ 

 (Hu-suan), jSjj (Hu). The rocambole^ according to the Po-wu- 

 chi and the Phitsao^ was introduced into China from the West 

 by Chang-ch'ien, a famous general of the Han dynasty. The 

 Arabic name (Soin) resembles the Chinese word S2ian^ but as 

 both names date back to the earliest period of written history, 

 it is difficult to say whether one was derived from the other, or 

 both came from a common source now unknown. This plant 

 is considered to be slightly deleterious, and if eaten for a long 

 time the eyesight is thought to be affected. It is recommended 

 as a digestive and for expelling poisonous effluvia. In 

 combination with other drugs, it is used in the treatment of 

 hemorrhages and fluxes. 



ALLIARIA WASAHL— i^ % fHan-ts'ai). One of the 

 Crucifercey closely allied to Sisymbriicm [Hedge viustard). It 



