{"product_id":"digital-product-20","title":"Contributions towards the Materia Medica \u0026 Natural History of China (c. 1871) - Frederick Porter Smith","description":"\u003ch2\u003eContributions towards the Materia Medica \u0026amp; Natural History of China\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrederick Porter Smith | First published 1871 | Historical digital facsimile (PDF)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStep inside a nineteenth-century cabinet of curiosities, where medicinal plants, mineral substances, animal lore and the traditions of Chinese materia medica meet the observations of a Victorian medical missionary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by Frederick Porter Smith for medical missionaries and native medical students, this remarkable historical reference gathers names, descriptions, preparations and reported uses of natural substances encountered in China. From aromatic woods and familiar herbs to curious mineral remedies and extraordinary animal folklore, its entries offer a fascinating glimpse into the meeting of different medical traditions in 1871.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eInside this historical volume\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlphabetically arranged entries on plants, minerals and other substances associated with Chinese materia medica\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical descriptions of botanical names, trade, cultivation, preparation and reported medicinal applications\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnusual observations and beliefs that illuminate the natural history and medical thinking of the period\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA valuable primary source for students of herbal history, traditional medicine, botanical folklore and nineteenth-century cross-cultural encounters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEspecially intriguing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Smith records curious claims about borax and intoxication, and describes camphor in contexts ranging from perfumery and insects to fireworks. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePublication details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Frederick Porter Smith, M.B.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal publication:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shanghai, American Presbyterian Mission Press, 1871\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Downloadable historical PDF facsimile\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Ancestral Library\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImportant:\u003c\/strong\u003e This is a historical source, not a modern herbal medicine guide. It contains obsolete medical claims, outdated terminology and references to substances or practices that may be unsafe or toxic. Its descriptions should be understood in their nineteenth-century context and must not be used as instructions for self-treatment, ingestion or preparation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA captivating piece of botanical and medical history, preserved for the curious reader and the modern keeper of old knowledge.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hearthwise Herbals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":64208607543626,"sku":null,"price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1088\/9940\/2058\/files\/Screenshot2026-11-03155746.png?v=1793721907","url":"https:\/\/hearthwiseherbals.com\/products\/digital-product-20","provider":"Hearthwise Herbals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}