go CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



uses are given for it. It resembles, and is probably identical 

 with Manila Elcmi^ which is thought to be the product of 

 Cajiarhnn commune. The Chinese product is called ^ § 

 (Lan-hsiang). It may be used as a substitute for black 

 dammar. When heated with the leaves and bark of the tree, 

 it produces a tarry mass, called ;^ |J| (Lan-t'ang), which is 

 used in caulking boats. 



CANAVALLIA ENSIFORMIS.— 7J S (Tao-tou), 1256. 

 This legume is said to be native of the province of Kuangtung, 

 but is now extensively cultivated throughout the empire. It 

 is generally known among foreigners as the " broad bean ; " 

 the pod being one and a half to two inches broad and nearly a 

 foot long. They are much relished as an article of diet by the 

 Chinese ; the pods, while still tender, being fried and eaten 

 with soy or honey, and the beans, when riper, being cooked 

 with pork or chicken. They are thought to benefit digestion, 

 to strengthen the kidneys, and to be constructive and tonic. 

 They are especially reconamended in cases of weak digestion 

 during convalescence from acute disease. 



CANNABIS SATIVA.— i; |^ (Ta-ma). Also called 

 ^ % (Huo-ma), 541 ; % % (Huang-ma); ^ % (Han-ma), 

 ''Chinese hemp," to distinguish it from ^ ti (Hu-ma), 

 "Scythian hemp;" the staminate plant, ^ ^ (I-ma), and 

 the pistillate ^ %, (Chii-ma). The flowers at the time of 

 pollenization are called Ijil ^ (Ma-p'o), and j^ ^ (Ma-fen) is 

 used for both the flowers and the seeds, although it probably 

 should be restricted to tlie laiier. 



Hemp has be'^n known from most ancient times in China ; 

 there being a tradition that the Emperor Shen-nung (28th 

 century B. C.) taught the people to cultivate it, as he did also 

 the mulberry tree for raising silk worms. On the other hand, 

 flax was unknown to the ancient Chinese, and even at the 

 present day the plant is only cultivated for its oil. At Peking 

 the hemp plant is called >J^ ^ (Hsiao-ma), while ;^ lie is 

 incorrectly applied to the castor oil plant. 



Every part of the hemp plant is used in medicine ; the 

 dried flowers (^), the ach'enia (^)., the seeds {%\, ^\ the oil 



