1)0 TABASHIR. 



to the fullest extent. In China whole ^'illages are built 

 of Bamboo. The effect produced by a fire in one of 

 these villag-es is said to be very curious. For the air 

 imprisoned in the internodes of the Bamboo stems 

 becomes heated and the^' explode \\'ith loud reports. At a 

 distance this sounds like cannonading, and in this noise 

 the natives of the Aloliuccas fanc\' that the\' hear 

 distincth' "'Bamboo, Bamboo"". 



It is natural tliat primitive peoples should have 

 attributed hidden healing powers to a plant which was 

 of sucli uni\'ersal utility. And accordingh' the Chinese 

 use root-stocks, ^•oung .shoots, the sap, tlie seeds and 

 certain excrescences of tlie Bamboo as medicaments, 

 ^\ curious formation, which is found in the lioUow inter- 

 nodes of the stem and is called "Tab'^shir", was much 

 renowned as a remedw Roman doctors at the time 

 of the Empire used it much, rel^•ing on the reputation 

 it had acquired in the East. But in tlie tentli and 

 eleventh centuries Tabashir became universalh' known 

 tlirough the ^\rabian doctors, and it is still considered 

 all over the East as a specially efficacious remedy. 

 When first found in the Bamboo stem Tabashir is a 

 dirt\-white, brown, or black lump, but under heat it turns 

 white and is converted into a substance resembling 

 chalcedon\'. This substance sometimes looks white and 

 opacjue, sometimes blueish-white, translucent and irides- 

 cent. Tabashir is in realit\' nothing more than common 

 silica discoloured b\' some vegetable substance from 

 wliich it is cleansed b\ heating. The patient might 

 just as well swallow pure sand instead of the Tabashir 



