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Moxibustion: burning of a cone of compacted dried herbs on a particular acupuncture point to stimulate energy. It can be used in combination with acupuncture to treat disease. In chinese medicine, illness is associated with an imbalance of vital energy (ch'i) flowing through the body in twelve pathways or meridians. Each meridian corresponds with one of the vital organs such as the heart, kidneys etc. Each meridian has a pulse located on the radial arteries of each wrist. Pulse taking is a means of diagnosing a patient's condition (Keystone/Science Photo Library/Andrew McClenaghan)