Tablet of Cow-Bezoar for Cold Trouble

As it was bound to happen, while running myself ragged backpacking through China, I’m sick with a sinus infection. I now have the opportunity (yay!) to try some more interesting Chinese medicine.

Note. You can just walk into a pharmacy and ask for medication that in the USA would require a prescription… But there is also no Tylenol or Motrin that you can just pick up at a CVS – so every medicine buying trip is an adventure. And a game of charades.

Pharmacy #1. Beijing. Went in and asked for antibiotics. Left with some weird antibiotics from Bangladesh. Helped a bit. Possibly.

Pharmacy #2. Beijing. By some miracle found an English speaking doctor/ pharmacist and acquired what I believe to be some kind of decongestant. Also helped a bit. Possibly.

Pharmacy #3. Xi’an. Found Azithromycin Tablets and something that comes up in Google as “Tablet of Cow-bezoar for Cold Trouble”. It was either that or some sort of odd liquid that said “Infusion of Fragrant Solomonseal and Hawthorn Fruit” Research indicates that it appears to be similar to a Tylenol Cold tablet. I'm sure it's legit though. And old Chinese woman in a lab coat, who spoke no English, sold it to me with the antibiotics for the equivalent of $5 USD.

As I have not had any adverse symptoms, I’m feeling optimistic about my cow–bezoar.

At the very least, I feel like I’ve stepped into a potion’s class in a Harry Potter novel with all this talk of bezoars and infusions of hawthorn extract. If I’m going to be sick, at least I feel like I’m a wizard.

Hopefully that with the combination of some good rest will make me feel better.