10 GINSENG. 



"The two chief fields of its past uses have been in states of 

 general debility and especially as an aphrodisiac. We find that 

 the provings not only show these uses of it to be Homoeopathic, 

 but also enlarge the somewhat meager knowledge of its action and, 

 at the same time, places what we do know of it on a scientific basis." 



In conclusion Dr. Dewey says: "Ginseng is evidently a 

 cerebro-spinal depressant and will do its best work in those cases 

 of depression where the nervous element predominates and is so 

 pronounced that the mental sphere is involved. We know how 

 intimately the mind and sexual sphere are correlated and it is in 

 the disorders of the sexual mind that the drug will find its best 

 action, i We consider this proving, while not all that could be 

 wishecTfor, places the drug on a more scientific basis than it has 

 ever rested on before." 



It is sometimes said that ginseng possesses no medicinal 

 merits, that the value placed upon it by the Chinese is fanciful or 

 based upon superstition; but according to the above proving such 

 statements seem to be unfounded and probably based on prejudice. 



While accepting every penny the Chinese will pay for it, 

 our people are disposed to scoff at ginseng as a medicine, and to 

 look upon its use by the Chinese as the result of superstition, 

 aroused by the grotesque resemblance to the human body, a form 

 often assumed by the roots. It has been stated that roots closely 

 resembling the human body in shape are believed by the Chinese 

 to have exceptional virtues, and that higher prices are being paid 

 by them for such odd-shaped roots; but altho the author has mar- 

 keted large quantities of ginseng, he never has been able to locate 

 the buyer who would substantiate this statement by paying a higher 

 price, but on the other hand has always found that the regular 

 short, cluiniiy and plain-shaped roots would bring the highest 



