CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



PART L VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



ABRUS- PRECATORIUS.— ;f0 ,g ^ (Hsiang-ssu-tzu), 

 ^X M. (Himg-tou), 423. This is a twining shrub, growing to 

 the height of several feet, and found in the south of China 

 and parts of the East Indies. The first Chinese name given 

 above, meaning "love sick", refers to the legend of a man 

 who died by the side of one of these shrubs, and his wife sat 

 beneath its shade and wept until she died also. The bright 

 scarlet seeds, of the size of large shot, with a black spot at the 

 hilum, are used as beads by children. They are said to be 

 slightly poisonous (emetic) and to have the power of preventing 

 Baroos camphor from evaporation when they are kept with it. 

 When taken as medicine, they are said to "permeate the 

 nine cavities of the body" and to "expel every sort of evil 

 effluvia from heart and abdomen", to be diaphoretic, ex- 

 pectorant, antiperiodic, and to "destroy every sort of visceral 

 or cuticular worm". The Pentsao gives in this connection 

 what is regarded as a reliable prescription for the destruc- 

 tion of a "cat-devil". " If a cat-devil has been seen or 

 its cry heard, use Abriis precatorhis^ Ricimis communis^ Croto?i 

 tiglmm^ of each, one bean ; pulverized cinnabar and wax, of 

 each, four shit; make into pills the size of a hemp seed and 

 administer at once. Then surround the patient with ashes and 

 place before him a cinder fire. Spit the medicine into the 

 fire, and as it bubbles up, mark a cross on the surface of the 

 fire, when the cat-devil will die". 



The root of Abriis precatoruis is long and woody, pale red- 

 dish-brown externally and yellowish internally. It has a thin 

 bark, a peculiarly disagreeable odor, and a bitterish acrid 

 flavor, leaving a faintly sweet after-taste. It is used in India 

 and Java as a substitute for licorice, but is not employed medic- 

 inally by the Chinese. Waring directs an extract to be pre- 

 pared in the same way as the Extractum Glycyrrhizse of the 



