1 8 OPIUM : 



Golden elixir pill. He also made a pill celebrated for its healing power and called the golden 



elixir. It was thought to be able to cure 24 different diseases, which are detailed 

 in the PSn-ts'ao of Li SHIH-CHEN, with a statement of the decoction to be taken with 

 the pill in each case. In this pill, I-li-chin-tan ( $E ^ ff)* Opium was used to 

 the extent of one-hundredth of an ounce and mixed with glutinous rice, to be divided 

 into three pills, one being a dose. If ineffectual, another was taken. It was for- 

 bidden to take many of these pills. Vinegar was not to be used, for fear of internal 

 rupture of the visceral organs resulting in death. 



In KUNG SIN'S work, called Wan-ping -hui-ch'un (H $1 13 ), cited in the 

 Ttmg-i-pao-chien, there is another golden elixir, for pain above or below the 

 diaphragm. 2^ mace of Opium, with 1 mace of asa&etida, half a mace of putchuck 

 and of aloes, and a quarter of a mace of cow bezoar. The three last were first 

 pulverised together. Opium and asafoetida were placed in a cup and made liquid 

 by dropping water upon them and stirring over a fire. The whole was mixed with 

 honey and made into pills of the size of green beans, and gilt. When the body was 

 hot the pills were taken with cold water; when the body was chilled they were 

 taken with boiling water. 



The same physician also made purple gold pills with bezoar and other drugs, 

 to help the good effects of Opium. The preceding passages are from Li SHIH-CHEX 

 and the Tung-i-pao-chien. 



15. 



adc ^ n ^ wor k Tung-hsi-yang-k'ao CM. W i ^), an account of countries belonging 



m the pr " to the Eastern and Western Seas, it is said " In the SUNG dynasty when merchant 

 vessels went to sea the high officials of the ports from which they sailed went to 

 the seashore to escort them. I have gone up the mountain at the entrance of the 

 bight leading to Ch'iian-chou-fu (Amoy) and seen the inscriptions, with dates, on the 

 rocks which record these things. At that time the regulations were very stringent, 

 as if the matters in hand were of great importance. In the province of Fuhkien, in 



* This was also used in Peking, says Li SHiH-cnfiN, as an aphrodisiac and quite extensively, beyond the 

 range of regular medicine. 



