332 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



description of their medicinal uses they are not discriminated 

 from star aniseed. The stalks and leaves when eaten are 

 considered to be chiefly carminative, relieving flatulence and 

 griping in the bowels. 



PINELUA TUBERIFERA.— .^ ^ (Pan-hsia), 975. 

 This aroid plant is found in the northern provinces, notably 

 Shensi, Shantung, and Kiangsu. It is cultivated in Szechuan 

 and Hupeh. The plant has tripartite leaves of a light green 

 color. In preparing for medicinal use, the tubers are soaked 

 for seven days in warm water and dried. After slicing, 978, 

 they are mixed with ginger juice and kept for use, or else 

 powdered, 977, and mixed with ginger juice, dried, and 

 repowdered. This last is called ^ M W (Pan-hsia-fen). Or 

 this is made into cakes, ^ ^^ (Pan-hsia-ping), or the powder 

 mixed with ginger juice and alum, made into cakes, wrapped 

 in paper mulberry leaves, and preserved in salt, is called ^ ^ 

 fll (Pan-hsia-ch'ii), 976. There are a number of other 

 methods of preparation, in which it is mixed with other sub- 

 stances besides ginger, and these are more or less carefuly 

 distinguished from each other as to their uses in medicine. 

 The simple prepared drug is called J^ ^ ^ (Fa-pan-hsia), 

 978. The drug, as met with in the market, consists of the 

 tubers in the form of small spherical bodies, either flattened on 

 one side, pyriform, or ovoid, which are from three-tenths to 

 six-tenths of an inch in diameter. The surface is white, or 

 yellowish-white, and for the greater part of the tuber is dotted 

 over with little, dark pits, and these are more especially found 

 around the umbilicated depression which marks the flat surface. 

 The interior of the tubers is white, dense, and amylaceous. In 

 the prepared state they have little smell or taste ; but in the 

 fresh state they are said to be bitter, acrid, and poisonous, pro- 

 ducing vomiting and diaphoresis. The prepared drug is said 

 to be antifebrile, tussic, counter-emetic, ecbolic, antimalarial, 

 astringent, and slightly laxative. It is administered in fevers, 

 influenza, jaundice, coughs, constipation, gonorrhoea, leucor- 

 rhoea, and seminal losses. All diseases attended by "phlegm" 

 (^) are particularly its therapeutic field. The number of 

 difiiculties for which it is recommended is very large, and 



