^4 chinesp: materia mkdica. 



incense in the south, or to preserve clothes from the attacks of 

 moths and other insects. It is said to have the power of 

 turning gray hair black. Carminative, stimulant, antiseptic, 

 prophylactic, astringent, sedative, and insecticidal properties 

 are referred to this remedy. Indian experience seems to 

 suggest the desirability of trying this root when powdered as a 

 substitute for opium in obstinate cases of opium smoking. 

 The Chinese apply it with musk, which it resembles in odor 

 and properties, to aching teeth. 



APOCYNUM VENETUM.— ^ ^ (Tse-ch'i). Such is 

 Faber's classification. The Japanese call this Euphorbia 

 helioscopia^ and the figure given in the Phitsao looks like 

 Euphorbia. On the other hand, the figure given in the 

 Imperial Encyclopedia is that of Apocynum. Evidently 

 Chinese observers have confounded two diflferent plants under 

 this name; for some say that it is "not poisonous," while 

 others say "slightly poisonous ; " some say that the leaves are 

 edible, while others deny the edibility of the plant. It is also 

 confounded with ^ ^ (Ta-chi), which is certainly Euphorbia. 

 So, for the purposes of this work, j^ ^ will also be considered 

 under Euphorbia (which see). 



AQUILARIA AGALLOCHA. — ?^ ^ (Ch'en-hsiang). 

 This is the substance which is variously called agallochum, agila 

 wood, eagle wood, calambac, garoo wood, aloes wood, lign- 

 aloes, and is supposed to be the "aloes" of the Bible. The 

 tree belongs to the natural order of Aquilaracecs. According 

 to Loureiro, the substance is also derived from the central part 

 of the trunk of Aloexylon agallochum^ of the natural order of 

 Leg7i7ninosccs^ sub-order Ccssalpina. An equivalent term given 

 in the Pentsao is ^ % (Mi-hsiang), and the substance is 

 described under two different headings ; the reason for so doing 

 not being very apparent. The tree is described as being like 

 the Cedrela^ and is found in Hainan, Kuantung, Cochin China, 

 Cambodia, Assam, the Laos country, India, and Persia. The 

 Persian name, ayalur chec^ is represented by the Chinese ^pj |^ 

 (A-chieh i ; while the Sanscrit agjiru is represented by |5pJ 5^ pg 

 (A-chia-luj. The wood of the sound tree is light, pale, and 



