136 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



and the fruit is eaten in the raw state and as a pickle. Its use 

 is considered to be slightly deleterious. Its reputed virtues 

 are cooling and diuretic. A sort of cucumber salve is recom- 

 mended for skin diseases, and for scalds and burns. The 

 expressed juice of the leaves is used as an emetic in acute 

 indigestion of children. The bruised root is applied in case of 

 swelling from the wound of a hedgehog quill. There is the 

 same danger of severe diarrhoea resulting from the ingestion of 

 the Chinese varieties of this vegetable as in the case of those 

 from the west. 



CUCURBITA MAXIMA.— The Chinese do not distin- 

 guish clearly between the mammoth winter squash and the 

 larger forms of gourd. The former undoubtedly is grown in 

 China, but it is known by the names of ^ ^ (Hu-lu), ^ ^ 

 (Hu-lu), and ^ (P'ao). These all refer to the gourd (see 

 Langeiiaria V2ilgare\ and medical properties will be discussed 

 under the latter title. 



CUCURBITA MOSCHATA, Cnairbita pepo.—i^ S 

 (Nan-kua). Several varieties of this are found in China, 

 Cticurbita maxima may also in some cases be included with 

 this product. In any case its medical properties would be 

 similar. A crook-necked variety is called ^ )^ (Wo-kua, 

 *' Japanese gourd"). Another variety is the ^i JJJL (Fan-kua). 

 Ivi Shih-chen says that the natural habitat of this genus is the 

 south ; hence the name. The Chinese compare the flesh of 

 this, when cooked, to the sweet potato. It is especially 

 esteemed when cooked with pork. When prepared with 

 mutton, it is considered to be deleterious. Squashes are pre- 

 sented with great ceremony, on the evening of .the mid-autumn 

 festival, to married, childless women, being considered propi- 

 tious for the speedy production of offspring. A similar custom 

 prevails in India where, to insure prosperity, the tallow gourd 

 is presented to the newly married pair at their wedding feast. 

 The seeds are sometimes used salted along with melon seeds. 

 The medicinal use of this plant and its fruit is not great. It is 

 not recommended in any particular class of diseases, but its 

 action is considered to be beneficial to the viscera and breath. 



