244 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



are found. One is Rose-maloes and the other is Liquid 

 Storax. Western observers are said to have found both of 

 these products under this Chinese name in different parts of 

 China. Dr. Bretschneider suggests that the Balm of Mecca^ 

 a. product of Balsamodcndron opobalsamum^ and Miikiil^ 

 obtained from Balsamodendro7i niiikiil^ may also be found in 

 China under the same name. The Sanscrit name of the drug 

 is |I{U i^ 3^ ^ij (Tu-lii-se-chien). Its medicinal action is anti- 

 dotal to noxious poisons, antimalarial, anticonvulsive, and 

 constructive. Its prolonged use is said to give vitality and 

 lightness to the body and to prolong life. A famous nostrum, 

 called 1^ ^ ^ ;/'L (Su-ho-hsiang-wan), and whose principal 

 ingredients are Rose maloes, Benzoin, Atractylis, Cyperus 

 rotundus, Aristolochia, Santalum album, Lign-aloes, Cloves, 

 Musk, Piper longum, Terminalia chebula, Vermillion, Baroos 

 camphor, and Olibanum, is used in the treatment of malaria, 

 epilepsy, and several other serious di faculties. Dr. Waring 

 mentions two substances as obtained in Burma : oue a light 

 yellow balsam and the other thick, dark, and terebinthinate, 

 which correspond closely to descriptions given in the Pentsao. 

 He found these of little use as expectorants, which is the 

 principal property of storax. 



LIQUIDAMBAR FORAIOSANA.— The character ^ 

 (Feng) is applied to this, to PLatamis^ Acer^ and Gy/iocardia. 

 But the description given in the Pentsao refers to the one 

 under consideration. It is a very tall tree, with rounded, 

 dentate, three-cleft, more or less peltate leaves, which have a 

 peculiar fragrance. The leaves flutter in the wind much like 

 those of the aspen, and being such a large tree, this fact 

 becomes particularly noticeable. It is said that the com- 

 position of the character ^ is explained in this way. The 

 branches are long and supple and wave gracefully in the wind. 

 In autumn they are covered with the beautifully colored leaves, 

 which gives an exceedingly attractive appearance to the tree. 

 On this account, many of these trees were planted in the 

 Imperial palace grounds at Peking by an emperor of the Han 

 dynasty, and the palace from this took the name of ;^ ^ 

 (Feug-chen), and the city was called i^ (^ (Feng-pi). The 



