NOTES ON CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA. 



To draw up a general description of Chinese Materia Medica iseo-eg. 

 is a task that, in the present state of our knowledge of the 

 natural history of China, it were almost vain to attempt. 

 Opportunities for scientific investigations in that vast country Sources of in- 

 have as yet been far too limited, its zoology, botany, and 

 mineralogy too little explored to enable any one to describe 

 other than in a very imperfect manner even a small number 

 of the varied products derived from the animal, vegetable, 

 and mineral kingdoms, which come under the general denomi- 

 nations of drugs. But although sources of information are 

 scanty, they are not entirely wanting; and I have, conse- 

 quently, been led to think that under the simple title of Notes, 

 it might be both useful and interesting to place on record such 

 remarks upon Chinese Materia Medica as have been suggested 

 by the examination of a considerable number of specimens 

 which I have received through the kindness of friends in China. 

 That, therefore, which I propose to do in the following pages is 

 to give a short descriptive catalogue, firstly, of some of the 

 mineral substances employed in Chinese medicine, which I have 

 had the opportunity of examining, and of most of which I 

 possess specimens ; and, secondly, of a small number of animal 

 and vegetable products, which may, from their origin, uses, or 

 affinities, be of interest to the pharmacologist. The imperfect- 

 ness of the information I have collected will, I trust, induce 

 further researches on the part of those who, being residents in 

 China, have opportunities which I cannot command, but with 

 whose labours I shall always be glad to co-operate. 



p 2 



