Excerpt:
Visiting a Chinese pharmacy in the Republic of China is much like being inside a miniature museum of natural science. Tucked away in row after row of tidy drawers are animal, plant, and mineral products, each with a particular purpose. Among the assortment of curiosities are cinnabar and amber, to relax the nerves; peach pits and safflower, to improve blood circulation; bear's gall to relieve pain and tranquilize; Chinese ephedra ( mahuang) to induce perspiration; and ginseng to strengthen cardiac function.