The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-18
SCIENCE AMONG THE oELEsELALS

CHARLESTON, S.
SCIENCE AMONG THE 0ELEsTLALS.
Chinese Doctors and Systems OF Medical
Treatment.
writer in the June number of the Overland
Monthly describes the medical systems Of the
Chinese in California as follows:
Judging from the number Of their apothe-
caly stores, one would suppose that the Chi
nese were large consumers OF medicine. Nor
are APPEARANCES in this particular deceptive.
There are in San Francisco dozen or more
establishments where Chiuess medicines are
prepared and sold, and the business is said to
ploy each, on an average, about four men il
cutting, mixing and putting up prescriptions.
and in decocting and drying their thousand
and mere gsrn nom 20 Inn
whore there are Chinese has its medicine store,
and scarcely an invoice Of goods can go to the
trader in the most distant mining settlements,
the railroad laborers, but medicines will occu-
py prominent pla oe in 1t.
One would infer, therefore, that there must
be an extensive field for physicians who under
posed remedies; and this is found to be the
case. The Chinese. wherever they 60, are fol-
lowed up pretty closely bysmen protesting to
ever. great diversity in the abilities and
qualifications Of these physicians. Some with
out any medical education or training what
ever ever, but because nothing better offers. buy,
sign, and begin writing prescriptions for all
who apply to them; while others have grown
gray in the practice of their favorite art, hav-
study the diagnosis OF diseases, the nature Of
medicinal herbs, minerals and animal sub
stances. together with the theories respecting
the effects OF every variety OF exraneous in.
Huenoe on diseases, as we'll as the influence Of
the imps and other spirits.
Not only have Cinnamon the auda-
city to cast adrift from one doctor and go in
search OF another, but (without seeming to
know of any possible impropriety in the act)
they may be under the care Of two or more
physicians at the same time.
Within certain limits such q course is en-
tirely admissible. and ir some circumstances
necessary; for the practice of the healing art in
China is divided up into greai. variety Of
specialtes. andit may happen that a patient
may be afflicted with complication of dis
two or three or more physicians may need to
be applied to before all of tfe PATIENTS all
ments have been prescribed tor; in which case
the greatly afflicted individual may be sub
jected to the necessity of making himself the
receptacle OF the stuff administered by several
doctors At the same time. .4r ... H. ,.--.,..,.
This, however. according to Chinese notions
Of the internal structure Of the body, is q less
pie. who allow ourselves to read, and to be-
ieve, the modern works on physiology and
anatomy: would suppose:: -
There is now before us the medical
portion of the library. OF Chinese scholar,
who. while he lays no claim to the rank of
physictan, Is nevertheless frequently applied to
for advice. This library consists OF only ak
and seventy-six medical works. In one OF these
we find catalogue Of one thousand and twelve
medicines, of which there are tom metals and
stone one hundred and thiYty-eiGht kinds.
Grasses and vegetables tincluding roots, stalk, 3,
leaves, flowers and seeds) three hundred and
thirteen kinds. Trees, lwnether the medicine
pc FOUND In the root. trunk, bark, leaf flower,
From the human body. twenty kinds. From
animals. ninety zone Ends. From fowls and
birds, thirty-four kinds. From bugs, worms,
snakes. shell-asb, turtles, f,es &o nlnety.nine
grains" thirtY-eight kinds. or the cabbage,
turnip and mslon families. sxty-tyo kinds. ID
another work which, raies aseosr as.*hara iR a
hist Of only four hundred and seventy-eight
medicines, OF the same classes as above speci-
fed, but each class much abridged. Even the
first, however, is not q complete catalogue as
in San Francisco claim to have upon their
shelves from six hundred to thousand va
rieties.
We cite portion of the list of medicines
and used in plasters. Curly hair. Womans
milk. Dandruf, Teeth filings. Ears. Exu-
via. Palings of finger and toe nails Of preg-
nant women. whicn naii-parings are reduced
q s9Rs ct the
Blood. The placenta. The gall !; and other
things which cannot be written IN the Over
land. '-' NJ
The sacredness with which human remains
are Usually kept may start question in the
minds OF some as to the manner OF procuring
certain OF the above-named articles. The
doubt, however, will be removed when the
hat no ~ Ro1o
who are executed, except where friends appear
to claim and bury them, are not thus religious
~ regarded and carefully inferred while tho
eewed no in mating and tossed into . tree, eg or
exposed on the surface of the earth among the
tombs for dogs and ynItures to prey upon.
The List Of medicines fcsm tho ANIMALS be-
on's bones, his teeth aud horns. MusA Of the
musk deer. OK bezoar:s g Bears gall. Ivory.
Deer's glue. Glue made from black mules
curd. Hoof Of white horse. bis, thigh; also
the same OF q bay Lorse. Bulls manure. Rams
horns. Marrow Of sleeps bones. Sleeps
gall. lungs. heart. kidneys, teeth. flesh, horns.
horn is regarded as especially valuable for re-
storing the bloody Rhinooeros' horn. Tigers
bones, claws and eyes. Dogs gall heart.
brains, teeth. skull, blood. and so on, through
ing, perhaps, every thing the reader will be apt
to imagine. as well as many things that he
would not think OF as, possible to be Brought
into service in the healing srts and certainly
several things which We wall not copy here.
All these are In their catalogue Of doctors
stuff, but many OF the articles IN the. list are
rarely use !, and some are designed only for |
external application. ,.-,s Aotia
The bulk Of the medicines used by the ply
sicians and sold by the druggists consists Of |
vegetable substances OF every variety. The |
which We have examined hcalI |
largely for this CLASS. viz For roots and herbs.
leaves, .do@ofs, BARI. traits. be. (: ..E,f
~xs* Bus physicians arc froyerbigIly O. |
long-snnering aud benevolent GLASS 0f tnens in-
deed, It is impossible tor one to he Q good and
acceptable physician aud not exercise these
quallties; therefore We know Ot no class OF mers