VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 95 



especial value in affections connected with the blood. They 

 are also used to cause abortion and to expel a retained placenta. 

 The shoots of the young plant are eaten in times of scarcity. 

 The seeds are given as a lenitive or purgative in apoplexy and 

 dropsy. An oil obtained from the seeds is used as a lubricant. 

 It is also used in candle-making. 



CARYOPHYLLUS AR0MATlCUS.-7t iTing-hsiang), 

 T "? ^ (Ting-tza-hsiang). The Chinese say that the clove 

 tree is dioecious, and that the pistillate plant is called |,f) -g- ^ 

 (Chi-she-hsiang), the "chicken tongue" referring to the shape 

 of the dried immature flowers of this variety. As this tree is 

 not indigenous to, nor is it much grown in China, the distinction 

 here given was probably a shrewd guess based upon different 

 qualities of the drug appearing in the market. These " chicken 

 tongue spice" cannot be the so-called "mother cloves," since 

 the Chinese know of these also, and call them -^ f ^ (Mu- 

 ting-hsiang\ which is an exact translation of the common 

 English and German terms. The properties of this variety 

 are considered to be similar to those of the ordinary cloves, 

 but are especially recommended in combination with ginger 

 juice as an application to prevent the hair from turning gray. 



The place of origin of this drug, as given by the Pentsao^ 

 is the islands and countries of the East Indian Archipelago, 

 Cochin China, and Polo Condor. The cloves found on the 

 Chinese market do not differ in any material respect from those 

 found in the shops of the West. They are regarded as having 

 warm, stimulating, carminative, corrective, stomachic, tonic, 

 anthelmintic, and derivative prop^rtie^ They are prescribed in 

 cases of offensive breath, diarrhoea, cholera, intestinal disorders 

 of infants, uterine fluxes, sterility, and many other diseases. 

 They are held to be especially efficacious in nausea and 

 vomiting. The drug is also used in various ways in the 

 treatment of nasal polypus, ulcers, cracked nipple, carious 

 teeth, scorpion stings, and to prevent or render pleasant 

 offensive perspiration. The bark, somewhat thicker than 

 cassia bark, is used in toothache and as a substitute for the 

 cloves. The twigs and root, although regarded as inferior, are 

 also used for similar purposes. In the Appendix to the Pentsao^ 



