404 CIIINKSK MATKKIA MKDICA. 



It is used ill all sorts of epidemics, jaivndice, malaria, and snake 

 or dog bites. Decocted with licorice, it is used as an antifebrile, 

 and with >J^ ^ (Hsiao-ch'ing), Ardisia japoiiica ( ? ), for the 

 tenesmus of dysentery. 



SERISSA FCETIDA.— ^ |i5:^(Ch'u-chieh-ts'ao). Other 

 names are "^^ ^ ^ (Liu-yiieh-lingj and 7^; ^ ^* (Liu-yiieh- 

 shnang). These last, however, are considered to represent 

 Euonyniiis. This plant resembles Solidago virgo mirea^ but 

 is greener and more brittle. Its flowers resemble those of 

 Mentha arvenis. The stalk and leaves are used in carbuncles 

 and cancers. 



SESAMUM INDICUM.— ^ Jj| (Hu-ma), % R (Ch'ing- 

 jang). This latter is said to repi'esent the leaves of the former. 

 The character m is properly applied to plants yielding textile 

 fibers, as CoTchoriis^ Bcemeria^ Lintiin^ and as ancienth-, to 

 Cannabis saliva. But hemp seed has been from ancient times 

 an article of food ; so it has not been surprising that the term 

 should be applied to Sesamum^ which is commonly called ^ 

 ^ (Yu-ma), although this latter term also includes one or more 

 species ol Linwn. The famous general, Chang Chien, brought 

 the seed of these oil-bearing plants from the West when he 

 made his famous tour in the time of the Han dynasty. For 

 this reason it gets the character j^ (Hu), "Scythian," in its 

 name, as do the most of the plants brought from abroad 

 by this observant traveler. The account in the Pentsao 

 thoroughly confounds Sesamiini^ Limim^ and Mnlgediiun ; so 

 medical uses are not clearly defined. The fruits are dark 

 brown, or black, four-angled capsules, two-valved, and about 

 a quarter of an inch long. The taste is sweet and aromatic. 

 They are used as cooling, emollient, pectoral, laxative, and 

 uterine remedies. The seeds are distinguished between black, 

 ^ rft H (Hei-yu-ma), and white, ^ ^% (Pai-yu-ma) ; and 

 while the medicinal properties are necessarily very much alike, 

 the Chinese make certain distinctions in their use. Generallv 

 speaking, they regard the seeds as emollient, constructive, and 

 cooling. The black seeds are specially used in labor, to pre- 

 vent catching cold, and the raw seeds bruised are employed 



