294 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



impotence in men. It is used in spermatorrhoea, menstrual 

 difficulties, gonorrlioea, and all forms of difficulties of the 

 genital organs. The Lieh-tang has similar virtues, but is 

 specially recommended in impotence. 



ORYZA SATIVA.-fS (Tao), f§; (Thi), ff (No), f^ 

 (Keng), fill (Hsien). These characters and several others 

 are used in the classics and other ancient works for 7'ice. 

 Originally, Tao was equivalent to No^ and was used for the 

 glutinous variety, while Keng referred to the non-glutinous 

 variety. At present Tao is a general term for rice and 

 includes both kinds, but refers for the most part to the 

 non-glutinous, while the glutinous is known only as No, 

 K^ng is also written f/^ (Keng). |,^ (T'u) is a very old 

 name, and is no longer in use. The common name now 

 in use is /jt (^li), which refers more particularly to the hulled 

 rice. In fact, every stage in the growth and preparation of 

 rice gives it a distinctive name. The young shoots are called 

 jf^ (Yang), that growino in the field is called |Q (Tao), the 

 unhuUed rice is called ^ (Keng), the hulled rice is called -)^ 

 (Mi), the hulls are called %% (K'ang), the cooked rice is called 

 |g (Fan), and the rice congee is called 5f5 (Chou). The gluti- 

 nous rice is described in the Pentsao under the term jfg (Tao). 

 It may be used for distilling spirits (J@), for pastry (^), for 

 sweet-meats (|^), for dumplings (|,:^), and as puffed-rice ^\} %. 

 AH these are quite common uses of the No-mi. The dump- 

 lings, under the name of f^ -f (Tsung-tzii), are made at the 

 time of the Fifth Moon Feast and consumed in large quantities. 

 They are also made of glutinous millet, and sometimes are 

 stuffed with meat or sweet-meats. The puffed or parched rice 

 is sold at all times of the year, and is largely consumed by 

 children and persons of weak digestion. It also serves as a 

 foundation for candy balls, which are made by sweet-meat 

 makers, and which vary in size from that of a marble to balls 

 a foot or more in diameter. A sticky confection is also made 

 of this rice and sold by street vendors in strips or cakes. The 

 rice is considered too heating as a constant article of diet, and 

 it is said to produce paralytic symptoms in men, cats, dogs, 

 and horses, if consumed for some time (beri-beri ?). It is consid- 



