VEGETABIvE KINGDOM. I57 



tree grows more slowly, and the flowers are slightly redder. 

 But its fruit is large and round, and in each fruit there are two 

 or four seeds, as large as those of the ;/y; ;fg ^ (Ta-feng-tzu, 

 Gvnocardia odorata^ Lucrabau seeds). Internally they are 

 white, the taste is sweetish, and the action is emetic. It is 

 also called ' purple-flowered-t'ung,' and is extensively cultivated 

 by men, who plant and collect the seeds for the business of 

 oil-making. The oil is used by painters for oiling and caulking 

 boats. It is often adulterated, but if a bamboo-splint ring 

 will pick it up like the head of a drum, it is genuine. The 

 oil is sweetish, slightly acrid, cooling, and very poisonous." 

 Its action is emetic, and, strange to say, alcohol is considered 

 to be antidotal to its action. It is applied externally to parasitic 

 skin diseases and wounds, as well as to scalds and burns. Its 

 emetic action is taken advantage of in asthma and coughs. 

 Wine-nose and broken chilblains are also treated with it. The 

 oil also enters into the composition of nearly all of the ordinary 

 Chinese plasters. 



DRYMOGLOSSUM C ARNOSUM. — !Ji|, ^ ^ (Lo-yen- 

 ts'ao), iMM ^ (Ching-mien-ts'ao). This "snail-shell grass," 

 or " mirror- face grass," is a fern which grows in rocky places, 

 and is of a reddish color. As a poultice, or in decoction, it is 

 applied to swellings, fetid feet, and the like. It is also taken 

 internally in hemorrhages, such as hematuria, hematemesis, 

 and nose bleed. It is used principally, however, in felons and 

 animal bites. 



DRYOBALANOPS AROMATICA, Dryobalanops cam- 

 pJiora. This tree is found in the islands of the Malaysian 

 archipelago, and is also said to be found in Kuangtung and 

 Fukien, although there seems to be no Chinese name for it 

 recorded in the books. The steareopten derived from it, which 

 is similar in composition to camphor, is known in commerce as 

 Borneo, or Baroos, camphor. The name most commonly 

 used for it in Chinese is -/X Yx' (Piug-p'ien), 1029, ^^"^ there 

 are several names for this product, such as, fl (I^} ^ (Lung- 

 nao-hsiang), |^ fg )^ (Mei-hua-p'ieni, || ^ ^ f^ (Chieh-p'o- 

 lo-hsiang), and ^ f|: # (P*o-lu-hsiang). ^ |J^ (Mi-nao), 



