She explains that if western drugs had pleasant, pronounceable names, we would (and do) feel safer using them. This is why we take "Celexa" for depression, rather than "Citalopram Hydrobromide." However, changing the name of methotrexate to "spirit of feathers" (Greek meth: spirits; Greek pterin: feathers) as the author suggests, does not change its origin story, or, in my opinion, reflect its nature. It may, however, give it power. The names of the natural plant substances found in Four Marvels Powder undoubtedly used to vary by region, and reflect their respective natures. This clear relationship between signifier and signified can still often be found in the Chinese characters or, for non-Chinese speakers, in the pin yin. For example, phellodendron bark, or "huang bai," simply means "yellow fir [bark]."

In the end, I jibe more with tree bark than I do with methotrexate, and not because of their names. There is a classical Chinese maxim that says something like, "If you wait until a person is sick to treat [her], you are not a very good physician." I believe our interconnectedness with such an imbalanced world makes us all more susceptible to illness today. Perhaps in this time, we may also require more potent medicines. Fortunately, I have not been in a position in which methotrexate or Four Marvels Powder are appropriate treatments. Honestly, I am not sure what I would do if I or my daughter had an illness serious enough to warrant strong medical measures, but I might use either treatment if the proper context arose.