252 A COMPENDIUM OF 
tries. The Vanilla is a parasitic, climbing pe- 
rennial plant, with a green, fleshy stem about 
the size of the little finger, adorned at regular 
intervals with dark-green sessile leaves; they 
are oval in shape, sessile, fleshy, acutely pointed, 
and veinless. Flowers occur in axilliary ra- 
cemes, are sessile and of a greenish-yellow 
color, and as much as two inches in diameter. 
The fruit as it occurs in commerce is pod-like 
in character, of a rich brown color inclining to 
black, oily, and when of fine quality shows 
many acicular crystals. It varies in length but 
will average from 4 to 8 inches. Internally it 
is filled with an oily-like mass of pulp contain- 
ing hundreds of small black seeds. ‘The roots 
of the Vanilla obtain their nourishment from 
the barks of the trees upon which it grows. The 
fruit is collected before it is ripe, and the pro- 
cess of curing the bean, as it is termed, is some- 
what complicated. There are several varieties 
of Vanilla, and they are called respectively, 
Mexican, Bourbon, Venezuelan, and Brazilian 
Vanillas. The Mexican is considered the best. 
Vanilla contains o7/, resin, sugar, mucilage and 
vanillin, the last named, which is to be ob- 
tained artificially from coal tar, pine tree sap and 
other sources, which is considered by chemists as 
the Aldehyd of Methyl of Protocachuic—Al- 
dehyd Vanilla (rarely, if ever, given as a medi-- 
cine) is considered a stimulant, carminative 
aphrodisiac in doses of 5 to 30 grains (0.3 to 2 
grams). Used as a flavor for creams, chocolate 
and confections. The plant has been known 
since the conquest of Mexico by Cortes, and the 
name is derived from the Spanish. Thetincture 
is officinal. 
