66 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



Tonic, astringent, antiperiodic, antifebrile, alterative, and 

 resolvent properties are attributed to this drug, and it is 

 special})' recommended in the f^ (Kan) disease of children, 

 which is struma or marasmus due to exhausting discharges. 

 As an external application, it is usually mixed with goose gall, 

 in which form it is applied to every form of hemorrhoid, as 

 well as to cancerous sores. It has a great reputation in the 

 treatment of dysentery. 



BASELLA RUBRA.— J^ ^ (Lo-k'uei) and ^ ^' (Chung- 

 k'uei). It is also called ^ ^(T'eng-k'uei), " twining mallow," 

 and its common name is ^ ^ JJ^ (Hu-yen-chih). The Bud- 

 dhists call it :f^p ^ (Yii-ts'ai). In the Erhya the names are 

 ^ ^ (Fau-lu) and ^ ^ (Ch'eng-lu). Other names are ^ || ^ 

 (Jan-chiang-tzu) and ^@ ^ % (Yen-chih-ts'ai). At Peking 

 the plant is cultivated under the name of 33 J3h Jl (Yen-chih- 

 tou). The plant is largely cultivated, and the leaves, which 

 are cooling and mucilaginous, are eaten with fish and other 

 meats. The berries are purple in color, and have a red juice, 

 which is used as a rouge for the faces and lips of ladies, and 

 also as a dye. The medicinal virtues are not great ; the leaves 

 beinjr used as a demulcent in intestinal troubles, and the berries 

 as au emolient, and a pigmentary addition to facial cosmetics. 



BEGONIA DISCOLOR, or BEGONIA EVANSIANA.— 

 ^% % (Ch'iu-hai-t'ang) and § \% % ( Ch'un-hai-t'ang\ 

 Another name given is ^ U| ij^ (Tuan-ch'ang-ts'ao), but this 

 is more especially used for Gchemmni elegans (which see). 

 The description given in the Pentsao of this " foliage plant" 

 is a fairly good one. But in regard to its medicinal properties 

 it says that inasmuch as the plant grows by preference in cool 

 shady places, therefore its nature must be cooling, and it is 

 specially recommended for fevers. The juice extracted from 

 the leaves and flowers is considered emolient, and added to 

 honey is used as a facial cosmetic, and as an application to 

 ringworm and other parasitic diseases of the skin. The juice 

 expressed from the stalk is used in sore mouth and throat. 

 Any use of the root has apparently not been thought of by the 

 Chinese ; they having had their interest attracted by the fleshy 



