VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 285 



to drive away Cmiex lectularius and his progeny. An old 

 tobacco pipe stem, jtS i^. (Yeu-kan), and the deposit in its 

 interior, i® if^ fttf (Yen-kan-yu), are regarded as sovereign 

 remedies for the bite of venomous snakes. One that has been 

 in use at least forty years is considered the best, especially if 

 it was smoked by a man rather than a woman. The remedy 

 is both administered internally and applied locally. It is also 

 used in menorrhagia. The substance from the interior of pipe 

 stems, as well as the water from a water-pipe, goes by the 

 names jtS ^ (Yen-kao) and jtg f^ (Yen-yu). It it said to be 

 the emanation of the five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, 

 earth) developed in the process of smoking, and is therefore 

 sometimes called 55. fr fj- (Wu-hsing-tan). It is used to kill 

 insects, to cure parasitic skin diseases, snake and centipede 

 bites, and the like. It is also sometimes secured from the 

 metal tops of ordinary pipes. 



Snuff, ^ jtS (Pi-yen), was formerly quite extensively used, 

 but, as in Western countries, has largely fallen into disuse. 

 A few officials and wealthy people still employ it, but seem to 

 do so rather to make an exhibition of their costly snufF bottles. 

 The collection of these snufF bottles, which are made of jade, 

 lapis lazuli, chrysoprase, and other precious stones, in many 

 artistic and beautiful designs, has become a hobby with pur- 

 chasers of bric-k-brac. Snuff-rubbing, as formerly practiced 

 in some parts of America, does not seem to have ever gained a 

 foothold in China. Foreign snuff was introduced through 

 Macao, and was considered to be superior to the native product. 

 This latter was composed of Angelica anovtah^ Asarum ne- 

 boldly Gleditschia officinalis^ Mentha arvensis^ Baroos camphor, 

 and prepared tobacco ('JtS J^,)- The water tobacco jjc i% (Shui- 

 yen) comes from Lanchou in Kansu, is also called "jg ^ (Hsi- 

 yii), and is highly esteemed as a tussic remedy, and also in the 

 treatment of snake and scorpion bites. It is probable that 

 this is Lobelia^ rather than Nicotiana^ as the leaves are likened 

 to those oi Eriobotryajiaportica. 



The use of tobacco has undergpne pppsiderable change in 

 China within the last few years. Formerly it was smoked in 

 small quantities at a tipie, and almost universally with a water 

 pipe or a long-stemmed bamboo pipe, either of which reduced 



