484 CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



Decoction of Lindera and Lign-aloes^ ,|^ -{j^ -^ (Wu-ch'en- 

 t'ang). The two substances are decocted together with ginseng 

 and licorice root, and the preparation is used in a great variety 

 of difficulties as a counter-poison, tonic, anodyne, antirheumatic, 

 and antimalarial remedy. 



Decoction of Xylosma raccmosa^ ^^ /fC flj (Tso-mu-yin). 

 The leaves of this tree, lotus leaves and petioles, root of 

 Hemerocallis minor, licorice root, and Poterium officinale, 

 are boiled together for the treatment of all kinds of swellings 

 and abscesses. 



ESSENCES.— # fi ^ S (Ko-chung-yao-lu). Chinese 

 druggists use the characters ^^ ^ (Hna-lu) on their sign-boards 

 to indicate the more aromatic of these preparations. But ^ 

 is not confined to volatile and aromatic extracts, but includes 

 any preparation in which the ethereal part of the drug is 

 supposed to reside. So some of these preparations are more 

 or less fanciful, while in most cases their therapeutical applica- 

 tions are based on imaginary virtues. The essences found 

 mentioned in the Appendix to the Pentsao^ and which are 

 those most commonly used, are given below. The method of 

 preparing the aromatic essences by distillation was brought 

 from the west at a comparatively late date, probably with the 

 beginning of Dutch or Spanish commercial relations with 

 China. The importation of foreign perfumes and essences is 

 mentioned, as well as the fact that these come packed in bottles 

 and jugs. It is said that these were to be distinguished from 

 each other, not by the color, but by the odor. 



Gold and silver Essence^ ^^M (Chin-yin-lu), was dis- 

 tilled from the flowers of Lonicera japonica, and is used medic- 

 inally as a stomachic, carminative, antifebrile, and antiseptic 

 remedy. It is especially recommended in small-pox. 



Essence of Peppermint, % 1^ % (Po-ho-lu), is distilled 

 from the fresh leaves of Mentha arvense, and used as a carmin- 

 ative and antispasmodic. It is said that the weak should use 

 it sparingly. 



Essence of Rose, Jt 3E^ ® (Mei-kuei-lu), is made by distill- 

 ing the flowers of Rosa rugosa. Its medicinal action is upon 

 the liver, stomach, and blood. It drives away melancholy. 



