334 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



fine and mixed with meal, they are administered iu rheumat- 

 ism, evil diseases, and intestinal parasites. The decoction is 

 also used externally. The white bark of the root, 12 13, is 

 considered tonic, while the bark of the tree is healing to 

 wounds, astringent, and parasiticide. The flowers, ;^ :f^ (Sung- 

 hua), 12 1 2, also called ^ ^ (Sung-huang), are considered to 

 have especial action on the heart and lungs, and to be astrin- 

 gent. They are distilled into a sort of "wine," which is used 

 in "fullness in the head" and post-partum fever. 



PIPER NIGRUM.— ]^J lli (Hu-chiao). This is said to 

 have originally been brought from Magadha, where it was 

 called ^ ^ j^ (Wei-fu-chih), possibly the transliteration of 

 an Indian name. It is now imported from the islands of the 

 East Indian archipelago. Black and white pepper are both 

 used as a condiment by the Chinese, but not so exclusively as 

 in the west. Capsicum and Zajithoxyhun are so plentiful and 

 cheap that they are used rather than the more expensive 

 pepper. It is said that some attempts have been made, though 

 rather unsuccessfully, to domesticate the pepper vine, which 

 ofrows indiojenous on the island of Hainan. Prior to the 

 coming of Europeans, the ground pepper was apparently not 

 known in China ; the pepper-corns being either used whole, or 

 crushed as required. Carminative, warming, and eliminative 

 properties are ascribed to the drug, and it is administered in 

 cholera, dysentery, vomiting, summer diarrhoea, and dysuria. It 

 is said to correct fish, flesh, shell-fish, and mushroom poisoning. 



PIPER LONGUAI.— H % (Pi-po), 1008. See Chavica 

 roxbiLrghii. 



PISTACIA VERA.— PpJ ^ \% ^ (O-yiieh-chun-tzu), ^ . 

 ^ ^ (Hu-chen-tza), 3^ ^ -^ (Wu-ming-tzu. ) This is of foreign 

 origin, and the first Chinese name is said to be in imitation 

 of the Persian. There is no description of the tree, although 

 it is said to grow in Lingnan. The kernels of the nuts are said 

 to be good for dysentery, and to be very nutritious, promoting 

 the growth of flesh. The bark of the tree is said to be 

 strengthening to the female principle, and is used in decoction 

 iu pruritus of the genitals. 



