VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 3OI 



aches, and menstrual difficulties. Its prolonged use is supposed 

 to give vigor to the body and to lengthen life. The root of this 

 paeony, fj* ^ (Tan-ken), 1242, and the small rootlets, jf ^ 

 (Tan-hsii), 1241, are mentioned in the Customs list, but do not 

 appear in the Pentsao. 



PALIURUS RAMOSISSIMUS. — & ^ (Pai-chi). This 

 is a rhamnaceous shrub, found in the south of China growing 

 to the height of three or four feet. The wood of its stem is 

 very white, which distinguishes it from the jujube tree. It 

 has rather long, straight spines, and the branches and leaves 

 are more or less tomentose. The drug seems to consist of the 

 spines, and for this reason they are by some said to be the 

 spines of the jujube tree, and it may well be that these are 

 sometimes substituted. They are prescribed in spontaneous 

 pains, neuralgias, "stitch in the side," and the like. They are 

 also said to increase virility in married men and to benefit the 

 genito-urinary system. The ashes of the twigs, mixed with oil, 

 are used to cleanse filthy hair. Here the Chinese came very 

 near to making soap. The flowers are used as an application 

 to discharging wounds. The fruits are said to be cooling and 

 diuretic. The leaves are applied in chronic ulcer of the leg. 



PANAX GINSENG.— A # (Jen>shen), 554, jjii^ :^ (Sh8n- 

 ts'ao). This, with the Chinese, is the medicine /ar exccllance ; 

 the dernier ressort when all other drugs fail ; reserved for the 

 use of the Emperor and his household, and conferred by 

 Imperial favor upon high and useful officials whenever they 

 have a serious breakdown that does not yield to ordinary 

 treatment, and which threatens to put a period to their lives 

 and usefulness. The principal Chinese name is derived from 

 a fancied resemblance of the root to the human form, and to 

 certain astral influences said to be derived from the constel- 

 lation of Orion. It is related that during the reign of Wenti, 

 of the Sui dynasty (581 to 601 A.D.), at Shangtang in Shensi, 

 at the back of a certain person's house, was heard each night 

 the imploring voice of a man, and when search was made for 

 the source of this sound, at the distance of about a // there 

 was seen a remarkable ginseng plant. Upon digging into the 



