Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Masao Uchibayashi.
Bencao Pinhui Jingyao complied in 1505 shows a drawing of maize under the caption of Yiyi-ren (Job's Tear). Also, a Chinese poem written around 1368 contains a term yumi, which indicates maize. These new findings offer clear evidence that maize existed in China in the pre-Columbian era. Details of this evidence, together with probable routes of introduction of maize to China, are discussed here.
An overview is presented on the reports available so far on pre-Columbian maize covering the regions of India, Mideast, Africa and Iberia. Frequent observations of maize recorded in the past on the East and the West Coast of Africa and at the ports in the Mideast show that maize was one of the staples of the natives well before 1492. It is also evident that maize in the West Africa was disseminated to Iberia and Lombardy in the pre-Columbian time. An earlier contact between the Old and the New World is strongly suggested.
A certain Chinese herbal book presented to the emperor in 1505 shows a drawing of maize under the caption of Yiyi-ren (Job's Tears). Also, a Chinese poem written around 1368 contains a term yumi, which indicates maize. These new findings offer clear evidence that maize existed in China in the pre-Columbian era, or before 1492. Details of this evidence are discussed here.
There is a prevailing legend that grapes and alfalfa were introduced to China from West Asia by Zhang Qian in 126 BC. This paper intends to show the legend to be a misconception. The three crucial documents were thoroughly examined, and the author believes he can demonstrate that it was a later traveler who actually brought these two plants to China following the trade route pioneered by Zhang Qian.
Five examples of transformation of the names of certain herbal medicines by transfer from one language to another are presented: (1) to meadow saffron (colchicum) from Medea's saffron, (2) from semenzina to semen cinae or semen China, (3) from the Japanese condiment sho-yu to soy and soybeans, (4) from the Japanese plant nanten to the genus Nandina, and (5) from the Dutch term wijnruit (wine-ruta) to hen-ruda in Japanese. In most cases, the transformation underwent phonetically and resulted in a departure from the original meaning.
Myrrh and mummy were separately introduced into Japan and were individually called MIIRA in Japanese for a certain period of time, during which some confusion ensued. Later, it was settled to call them MOTSUYAKU for myrrh and MIIRA for mummy. The etymology of related terms is discussed. Camomile (English) or Kamille (Dutch) was brought to Japan and named KAMITSURE with the "ts" sound inserted. This insertion was the outcome of a popular misunderstanding of the phonetic transcription of the Dutch word. The etymology of related terms is also discussed.
An etymological and semantic history of the terms of various pharmaceutical retailers in the West in presented. Apothecary is a combination of IE * apo- (separate) and * dhē (to place) which gave rise to the Greek term apothēkē, which originally meant a warehouse for food and wine. Pharmacy is a combination of the Greek term * pharama form IE * bher- (to charm, enchant) and -(a)-ko- resulting in * pharmako- (magic, charm, cure, potion, medicine) and in Latin pharmacie. Chemist's shop is the English version of an American drugstore. Further, such terms as dispensary, officinal and drug are etymologically discussed. Different usages in England and the U.S. of terms like shop and store are summarized. [Note:"IE" with asterisk stands for the Indo-European proto-languages which are the ancestors of most Western tongues.]
Preparations made from Uncaria gambir or Acacia catechu are called hái-ér-chá, băi-yào-jiān, or a-sen-yaku. Their identification and relation to one another are discussed historically and etymologically. Hái-ér must have been derived from khadira (Sanskrit), khayer (Bengalese), or khair (Hindi). A-sen is supposed to be formed by the combination of er and sen; the latter may be a euphonic transformation from sen, to (--, to decoct).
The etymology of eaglewood (chén xiāng, --) and its related terms with particular reference to its relation to eagle (aquilaria) is discussed. It is pointed out that this fragrant wood has nothing to do with eagle. A Portuguese aguila transcribed from akil (Malay, the name of wood), perhaps underwent phonetic traction to aguia (Portuguese, eagle) in the process of being translated into French. Thus pau d'aguila (Portuguese) was transformed to bois d'aigle (French, aigle=eagle), which led to eagle-wood (English) and Adlerholz (German).