214 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
given for a dose, with a wineglassful of water (hot, or cold). 
This syrup will serve to energize the organs within the abdomen 
of both males and females; likewise to recruit a feeble heart, 
and an exhausted brain. Ray tells that “Saffron has long 
enjoyed the reputation of comforting the heart, and raising the 
spirits, going thus far towards the relief of those who are 
melancholy through grave mental burdens.” In our rural 
districts there is a popular custom of giving Saffron tea for 
measles, on the doctrine, probably, of colour analogy ; to which 
notion may likewise be referred the practice of adding Saffron 
to the drinking water of canary birds when they are moulting. 
Lord Bacon said: “ The English are rendered sprightly by a 
liberal use of Saffron in sweetmeats, and broth.” And Thackeray 
noted when in Paris :— 
‘Green herbs, red pepper, mussels, saffron, 
Soles, onions, garlic, roach and dace ; 
All these you eat at Ferré’s tavern, 
Tn that one dish of bouillabaisse.”’ 
| Likewise Chamomile tea is an excellent revivifying drink for 
aged persons, an hour or more before dinner. Francatelli directs 
to “ put about thirty dried Chamomile flowers into a jug, and to 
pour over them a pint of boiling water, covering up the infusion ; 
when it has stood for a quarter of an hour, pour it off from the 
flowers into another jug, and sweeten with sugar, or honey.” 
The true Chamomile is an aromatic garden herb of prostrate. 
growth, and with a single flower on each stem, whilst signifying by 
its name Earth-apple. Its flowers grow with a convex yellow 
disc, exhaling a powerful odour, and having a clean, bitter taste, 
with the possession of an essential oil in only a small quantity. 
This medicament can scarcely be considered a food, but never- 
theless it is a valuable kitchen adjunct; a teacupful of the 
infusion, sweetened with a dessertspoonful of moist sugar, and 
with a little grated ginger added, serves admirably as an 
appetizing tonic before a principal meal. 
* Borage ” (which, with its gallant blue flower, is freely grown 
in the kitchen garden for Claret cup, and the bees) “ doth 
exhilarate,” says an old herbalist, “‘ when taken in sallets, and 
maketh the mind glad almost ds beneficially as a bracing sojourn 
by the seaside during an autumn holiday.” “ Borago ego 
gaudia semper ago,” or “ Borage give always courage,” tells a 
truthful Latin adage, so cordial is this popular herb even from 
