Juniper tree ("Juniperus phoenicea") is applied in dotted patterns on bisque drinking cups. Gitran makes the water more fragrant and is said to be good for the teeth. Some Indigenous peoples, such as the Dineh, have traditionally used juniper for diabetes. Native Americans have also used juniper berries as a female contraceptive. The 17th Century herbalist physician Nicholas Culpeper recommended the ripened berries for conditions such as asthma and sciatica, as well as to speed childbirth. The plant was long used as an arbortifacient and was known as 'bastard killer' in the UK. Juniper is one of the plants used in
Buddhism and abortion that current laws were "good enough." Peter Harvey relates attitudes towards abortion in Burma to Melford Spiro's observation that Buddhists in Burma recognize a clear distinction between what may be regarded as 'ultimate good' in a religious sense and what is a 'worldly good' or utilitarian act. Despite the prevalence of illegal abortions in Burma due to economic difficulty, many Buddhists consider it against their religious beliefs. A 1995 survey on women in Burma showed that 99% thought abortion was against their religious beliefs. Buddhists in Japan are said to be more tolerant of abortion than those who live elsewhere.