146 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
odorous principle, which in the wild plant smells, and tastes 
strongly, and disagreeably. The characteristic odour, and flavour 
of the cultivated plant are due to this same essential oil, which 
has now become of modified strength, and qualities; also 
when freshly cut our Celery affords albumin, starch, mucilage, and 
mineral matters. Dr. Pereira showed that it contains sulphur, 
a known antiseptic, and a preventive of rheumatism, as freely 
as do the cruciferous plants, mustard, and the cresses. 
“Celery,” said Mr. Gibson Ward, President of the Vegetarian 
Society, 1879, in some letters to The Times, “is when cooked 
a very fine dish, both as a nutriment, and as a purifier of the 
blood. I will not attempt to enumerate all the marvellous cures 
I have made with celery, lest medical men should be worrying 
me en masse. Let me fearlessly say that rheumatism is impos- 
sible on this diet; and yet English doctors in 1876 allowed 
rheumatism to kill three thousand, six hundred and forty human 
beings, every death being as unnecessary as a dirty face.” 
This herb “ Sallery,”” wrote John Evelyn in his Acetaria, or 
Book of Sallets, “is for its high and grateful taste ever placed in 
the middle of the grand sallet at our great men’s tables, and our 
proctor’s feasts, as the grace of the whole board.” Chemically 
Celery contains apiin, and a glucoside, or sugar, combined with 
apigenin (a yellowish sublimable aromatic principle) which is 
said to be harmful to diabetic sufferers. With certain sus- 
ceptible persons the cultivated garden Celery disagrees violently, 
causing severe oppression of the chest, and constrictive trouble 
of the throat, within two or three hours after eating it; also a 
swelling of the face and hands, with a general itching of the skin. 
If plainly stewed in only its own water, Celery retains all the 
useful properties of the stalks. Again, the solid roots of the plant, 
if cut into dice, and baked a nice brown, may be ground into 
Celery coffee, which can be used like ordinary coffee, making a 
refreshing beverage beneficial to the nervous system when 
needing recruital. The old Romans employed the Celery plant 
in garlands, to be bound around the head for neutralizing the 
fumes of wine. It represented one of the Parsleys. 
Celeriac is the turnip-rooted Celery, and is likewise cooked as 
a wholesome vegetable. 
Or again, for relieving rheumatism, wash the Celery, and 
cut it into small pieces, and stew them well in quite a little 
water. Strain this, and put it aside to be taken two or three 
