This haiku poem is about moxa: Asama is Central Japan's largest active volcano; Mount Ibuki is traditionally reputed to be the prime growing area for quality moxa in Japan.

Moxa is the refined product of the picked leaves of the mugwort plant. This plant grows all over the world in temperate zones, and has a reputation for its more esoteric properties in many traditional cultures, but it is only in the Far East that it has been used therapeutically by being burnt over the skin. There are wide variations in the way this is done. Generally more "direct" techniques involve smouldering cones of moxa (ranging in size from that of a sesame seed to larger ones more like broad beans). When burnt over acu-points these either provide a warming effect or produce a tiny "pinch" of heat. More indirect techniques popularly use a sort of cigar of moxa waved over areas of skin or around inserted needles. Other indirect methods involve burning loose lumps of moxa on the handles of needles to provide a wonderful penetrative and relaxing warmth, or burning cones on top of slices of other materials for compound effects - garlic or ginger are often used. (The Anglo-Saxons, incidentally, burnt it to ward off nasty insects, and it's been burnt as a bactericide in schools and hospitals in China as well).

It was first mentioned by some of the famous Chinese philosophers, and, almost certainly its use provided the seminal theoretical inspiration for meridian-focused holistic acupuncture two thousand years ago. Since then, it's endured a mixed experience alongside acupuncture - often relegated almost to folk medicine status alongside the scholastic studies and developments in acupuncture over the centuries.

Its effects, however, are not to be sniffed at. It is arguable that twentieth century Japanese research into repsonses to moxibustion provide more positive indicators of "holistic" whole body responses than the results of research into acupuncture itself - in changes in blood chemistry, immune response and with effects within the autonomic nervous system. It's interesting that, early in the twentieth century, it was being successfully used to treat TB and to counter outbreaks of cholera.

Today the power of the application of moxa is two-fold: firstly it can give an "edge" to treatment of chronic or difficult conditions; secondly it can be taught to the patient who can then use it at home to support the treatment. With both approaches I have seen it make an almost staggering difference to the treatment effect.

With this experience, we have been investigating the record of its use in the 1930s in Japan to treat TB before the advent of antibiotics. The real possibility has revealed itself that it just might have a significant role to play in the developing world where drugs and diagnosis are so shamefully scarce. To this end, a charity now exists (Moxafrica) to seriously investigate this possibility.

Unfortunately, of course, in many clinics in our "developed" world, its use is precluded because of its smoke. It's not toxic, like cigarette smoke, but it creates smoke nevertheless, and I can attest to the fact that it will set smoke alarms off having once embarrassingly been responsible for the automatic call-out of two fire engines.