92 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



CAPSELLA BURSA PASTORIS.— ^ ^(Chl-ts'ai). A 

 common name is ;J.^ ^fv ^ (Ti-mi-ts'ai). Its frnit is called 

 ^f (Ts'o-shih). This is the common "shepherd's purse," 

 which is eaten as food by many of the poor people of China. 

 It is both wild and cultivated. The explanation of the first 

 character in the Chinese name is given as |tt ^ I^ (Hu-sheng- 

 ts'ao), " protecting life plant," because it is said to drive away 

 mosquitos and other nocturnal insects. The root and leaves 

 are used in medicine, and the plant is thought to have a 

 specially beneficial influence upon the liver and stomach. 

 Incinerated, they are prescribed in fluxes, and pulverized, are 

 used in the treatment of sore eyes ! The fruits are used for 

 similar purposes, and if used for a long time are thought to 

 clear the vision. The flowers are said to destroy certain kinds 

 of parasitic worms, and to be useful in dysentery. 



CAPSICUM ANNUUM.— II ^^ (La-chiao\ 685. Several 

 species of this Solanaceous plant are met with in China. In 

 addition to the one above named, Capsiaini fnttescens^ 

 Capsicum baccatinn^ Capsia^m fastigiatuni^ and Capsiciini 

 sinense are mentioned. They are largely cultivated in all of 

 the central provinces of China, and are eaten green, ripe, and 

 after having been dried. They are used as a condiment or 

 relish with other food, and at the season when they are ripe 

 and in market are seldom absent from the table. The less 

 acrid kinds are used as a vegetable, and if deprived of their 

 seeds they do not purge. The smaller and more acrid varie- 

 ties are sometimes dried and pulverized, making a sort of 

 cayenne pepper. They are not mentioned in the Phitsao^ but 

 the Chinese rightly consider them to be stimulant to the 

 digestion and derivative. They are sometimes used to j)roduce 

 diaphoresis. 



CARDUUS CRISPUS.— fl It (Fei-lien). This com- 

 posite plant (Cynaroid division) is found growing plentifully in 

 Manchuria and the provinces of North China, including 

 Szechuan. It has incised leaves w'ith winged petioles. The 

 root is straight, with dark colored skin, and white flesh marked 

 with black veins. The root aud flowers are used in medicine. 



