382 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



the root is called '^ (Sou). Other names are j;^ jJl (Ti-hsiieh), 

 ^ Ij^ ^ (Jaii-fei-ts'ao), and J^ ^ f^ (Hsiieh-chien-ch'oii), 

 478. The first of these terms, as well as the character ^ jnst 

 above, refers to the belief that the color of the plant is due to 

 transformed human blood ; the second to the use of the plant 

 in dyeing a deep red color ; and the third means " when blood 

 sees it, it is shamed," referring to the color produced by it. It 

 is the Indian viaddcr plant, and is very similar to the European 

 madder. It is a creeper, growing to a length of several feet, 

 has a square, hollow stem, covered with small prickles. The 

 leaves are in whorls of five, scabrous and dark on the 

 upper side. The root is purplish-red. In the Historical 

 Records it is said that he wdio plants a tl:ousand nioii with 

 this plant and the Gardenia^ is considered to be equal in 

 wealth to a nobleman who has control of a thousand households. 

 This shows the importance in which these plants are held in 

 the estimation of the Chinese. The root is used as a red dye 

 not only in China, but also in Japan, and is called miinjette^ 

 or viandjiichaka in Sanscrit. Tonic, alterative, astringent, 

 vulnerary, and emmenagogue properties are ascribed to the 

 root, and it is used in rheumatism, jaundice, hemorrhages, 

 fractures, and all sorts of exhausting discharges. 



At the close of the article in the Peuisao^ a creeper called 

 jJl 1^ (Hsiieh-t'eng), 479, is spoken of, and is probably a 

 rubiaceous plant. It is yellow, and is used as a blood remedy. 



RUBUS CORONARIUS.— l^li(T'u-mi). This is a fra- 

 grant bramble, similar to, or possibly identical with, the Brier 

 Rose. Its only use is to scent a kind of wine called ^ |]| 'J@ 

 (T'u-mi-chiu). The characters are sometimes written ^ ^. 



RUBUS INCISUS.— ^; 1^ ^ (Hsiian-kou-tzu). This 

 is also called [jj ^ (Shan-mei) and ;fc ^ (Mu-mei), ''wild or 

 wood berry". The berries are rather sour, but quite edible. 

 They are counter- vinous, refreshing, and expectorant. The 

 leaves are used in dysphagia. The bark of the root is used in 

 case of the death of a fetus which has not come away, in 

 menorrhagia, chronic dysentery, and chronic discharges of all 

 kinds. 



