The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-02
FUNNY CHINESE REMEDIES.
Some Curious Medicines Included In
Their PharmAcopoe!a-

strange oriental people seem to contai
every imaginable curiosity getabl,
animal and mineral With many Of tn
remedies included in it interest
ing and remarkable legends ar
associated. For example. rain at part
cular seasons of the year is be
lieved in that country 10 have medicine
properties. That which falls on the fit
day of the fifth month, when the dragon
boat festival occurs, is called Holy water
and is used for a sedative. Rain and waite
falling during the night is deemed excellen
for worms. II rain water be collected in tn
spring and drunk out Of one cup by mai
and wife they will have many children
Storm water is good for fevers, snow wate
is vermifuge and hail water is inclined q
be poisonous.
Bats, very common in China, are be
lieved to convey their extreme longevity
and exceptional sight to those persons whC
consume the disgusting preparations mad
! from various parts of their bodies. OnI
interesting remedy for eye troubles is the
excrement of bats, in which the doctor
pretend to detect the eyes of the mosquitoes
| on which the creatures feed. A favoritt
tonic is reddish glue, known commonly
as asses glue though it is in reality OBJ
| talned by boiling down the water of a cele-
brated well, which contains a gelatinous
principle.
USES OF ARSENIC.
If prescription for arsenic kills the pa
tent both the seller OF the drug and the
buyer are dscapitated. Chinese frecrack-
ers containing portion Of sublimate of ar
senic are said to be louder. A considerable
portion Of arsenic is contained in an alloy
of copper, Of which much of the women's
lewelry is made, and a favorite mode OF
committing suicide adopted by females in
China is to swallow their head ornaments.
! The horns of kind of deer which is said to
| hang itself up in trees by its horns at night
are recommended for apoplexy. There Is a
plant called the "san-tsih,n the root of
which Is believed by soldiers to promote
bravery, and its reputation is so great
among them that it sells for 50 an ounce.
Amber is given as a nervine, pieces con-
tanning insects being held at a high value.
A certain perennial water plant is said to
cure dropsy and confer the power of walk
ing upon water. One kind Of fungus re-
sembling the truffle is thought to have the
power both to destroy worms and to cast
out devils. Llcorice root is deemed to have
the property of renewing youth. 1t is
recommended as a diuretic, aud gunpowder
is put down as a vermifuge. Round concre-
lions of iron peroxide are used in powder
for fevers. A legend connects them with
the great god Yu, and they are alleged to
be crumbs from his table.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE COW,
The cow is recommended in the Chinese
pharmacopPia in the shape of beef tea
This animal has distinct name for each
year of its growth up to the seventh. 1t is
said to be deaf in its ears, but to hear in its
nose. Bones of the tiger, which is accounted
the king of beasts are highly valued for
ague aud general debility. In fact, every
part Of the animal is catalogued as having
medicinal properties. Facts known about
it are that its victims become devils after
being digested, but the flesh of dog makes
the creature intoxicated Bad smells, such
as burnt horn, scare it away, and the
hedgehog can get the better of it. The tiger
turns gray at the close of the first 500 years
Of its life
The wood of the box tree is supposed to
ease the pains of labor, and for this purpose
women often chop up their toilet combs,
which are commonly made of the material
Benzoin is supposed to be good for stomach
ache. 1t is much adulterated, but there is a
sure test. If real it's fumes will charm rats
out of their holes. Wheaton bread is much
prescribed for various complaints, and
bread pills are an old remedy with Chinese
doctors.
CINNABAR AND COSMETIC POWDER
Cinnabar, an ore Of mercury, is placed at
the head of all minerals and metals, being
capable Of Transforming itself, in equal
periods OF POO years. into each of the five
principal metals successfully, finally becom-
ing gold. Worn in bags by children it
warns off wicked spirits and ST. Vtus'
dance. Verdigris from old copper coins is
thought first-rate for skin troubles For
cosmetic powders used by the women Of
the 1owery kingdom the shells of various
mollusks are scraped, burned and refined,
scenting ingredients being added Fossil
crabs, powdered, are used to neutralize all
kinds of poisons. Pieces of fossil ivory are
sold in stamped packages, to be prepared
and given in cases of fever. Ambergris is
declared excellent for healing properties; it
is coughed up by dragons. Fossil teeth of
extinct mastodons are of great service for
their action on the liver.
VARIOUS REMEDIES.
A fungus which grows out of a caterpil-
lar as a disease Of the insect and transforms
it into plant is good for jaundice. The ex-
crement or the common sparrow, of the
magpie and of the wild pigeon is pre-
scrlbed for various complaints. Extract of
dandelion renews the youth, hair and teeth
of old men. Pastors of elephants hide are
sold for wounds that heal with difficulty.
There is an injurious fungus that is said to
cause irrepressible laughter, the patient no
has eaten of it being unable to restrain the
cacchinatory muscles.
GOLD FOR SUICIDE.
Gold leaf is much used, by swallowing,
for suicidal purposes, the metal producing
irritation and death; solid gold is employed
similarly. A hot gold needle is thrust into
the gums to relieve toothache. The most
common and convenient poison used in
China Is opium, a drug always at hand.
Mandarins of high rank usually wear on
their persons q small bead filed with what
is called peacocks blood. This they are
said to take when they desire to destroy
themselves suddenly. Every part of the
pig is believed to have some special medici-
nal property. Dried scorpions are much
employed in the treatment of very many
diseases, and seed pearls likewise.
WATER AS A MEDICINE.
Water among the celestals stands in the
forefront Of all medicinal agents. 1t is the
first of the sixteen great classes of all known
substances and is divided into the heavenly
and the terrestrial descriptions; of the former
there are thirteen sorts, and of the latter.
thirty. The hydropathic system is very
ancient in that country. Water in which
the five precious metals"-gold, silver,
copper, iron and tin-have been boiled is a
popular remedy for domestic emergencies,
such as faintness and accidents of any kind.
Personal ornaments and a medley of arti.
Giles generally make up the required combi-
nation of materials.
There is a certain kind of anteater, about
two feet long. whose body is covered with
movable scales. 1t lives on insects by