APPENDIX. 475 



CHARCOAL, VEGETABLE.—^ (T'an), ^ ^ (Pai- 

 t'an). The Pciilsao directs that charcoal for medicinal use 

 should be made of oak wood. The powder ^ % (T'aii-mo) is 

 directed to be mixed with water and taken after the accidental 

 swallowing of coins or metallic substances. Mixed with honey, 

 it is given in acute diseases of the throat, or is combined with 

 other drugs in the treatment of dysentery. Charcoal dust is 

 mixed with sesamum oil and applied to burns and scalds. It 

 is mixed with water and used as an antidote to poisoning by 

 mercury or calomel. Chinese families make it a practice to 

 burn a portion of charcoal in their houses on the last night of 

 the year to drive away evil spirits and noxious effluvia. 

 Doubtless the carbon dioxide has some influence as a disinfect- 

 ant, which makes the house a little more sanitary for the New 

 Year's day. There are frequent accidents from the inhaling 

 of charcoal fumes ; but they are fewer than would be expected 

 from the frequency with which charcoal braziers are used in 

 Chinese houses. Doubtless the open character of the house 

 prevents this danger from being more serious than it is. 

 Accidents of this kind to foreigners' servants, who often sleep 

 in close rooms which they try to heat with a charcoal fire, are 

 more common than in the Chinese houses. 



Soot is called "g I^ || (Pai-ts'ao-shuang), 966, and is 

 used as an antifebrile, astringent, styptic, absorbent, alterative, 

 deobstruent, and topical remedy. A ready supply is always 

 found in the Chinese household, in that which may be scraped 

 from the bottom of the ordinary cooking pot, and which is 

 called ^ M M (Fu-chi-mo). 



CHENOPODIUM Sp.— Several Chinese plants may be 

 referred to this classification, If -^ ^jg (Yeh-p'o-ts'ai), ^/^% 

 (Lo-han-ts'ai), ^ ^ (Shaug-t'iao), and % (Li). None of 

 these are described in the Peiitsao except the last. This 

 character is also applied to Veratriim and Aconitiim ; but in 

 this place is made the equivalent of ^ (Lai), which seems to 

 be Chenopodium. This is also called -fX >J^> ^ ^ (Hung-hsin- 

 hui-t'iao), "red-hearted-goose-foot," %^%% (Hao-ting-ts'ao), 

 "crane's crest vegetable," and ^ ^ H (Yen-chih-ts'ai), 

 "cosmetic vegetable." It resembles Chenopodium albiinty but 



