290 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



k'uei). There are two kinds : the white, of which the root is 

 used in medicine, and the red, of which the leaves and stem 

 are eaten, either pickled or in the fresh state. This is an 

 umbelliferous plant, much resembling celery. While the 

 white varieties are most commonly eaten, some of the red 

 kinds are considered to be non-poisonous. Caution has to be 

 used, however, as in the case of the red varieties of celery, 

 because these are often deleterious, resembling water hemlock. 

 The properties of the drug are considered to be cooling, 

 strengthening, hemostatic, and antivinous. It is prescribed 

 in choleraic affections of children, urinary difficulties, colds, 

 and hematuria. The seeds are recommended in plethora. 



Under the article on Ra7i2inaihis scleraltis is also men- 

 tioned 7JC ^ (Shui-chin). The characters ^, g^, and ^ are 

 used more or less interchangeably, and serve to confound 

 CEnanthe^ Nastiirtm7n^ Aconitiini^ Rajinnaihis^ and other 

 genera. However, QLuajithe is most commonly referred to 

 when the character tJc is prefixed to either of the three char- 

 acters. In the article to which reference is here made the 

 plant is recommended to be bruised and applied to horse 

 bites, snake bites, scorpion bites, and cancerous swellings. 

 Administered internally, it has the reputation of causing resolu- 

 tion in scrofulous swellings, curing choleraic affections, and 

 the like. It is said to be emetic if taken in large quantities. 



OINTMENTS. — Aside from the very much overworked 

 term ^ (Kao), the Chinese have no term for ointment as that 

 is understood in the West. Foreign physicians have prefixed 

 the characters ^ (Mo) or ^ (Ch'a), "to rub on," "to smear," 

 in attempting to distinguish an ointment from an extract or 

 plaster. A better character would be ^ (T'u), as that is the 

 one universally used in Chinese medical works to indicate the 

 smearing on the skin of unctuous remedies. The most com- 

 mon vehicle for applying drugs to the skin is the % ffff 

 (Hsiang-yu), "fragrant-oil," or sesamum-seed oil. Lard comes 

 next, and it is often mixed with vegetable wax, beeswax, or 

 white (insect) wax. Pomades and cosmetic applications are 

 many, and are called §'3 J3g (Yen-chih). While there are few 

 formulae of ointments in the Chinese books, unctuous applica- 



