302 MEAIS MEDICINAL. 
fruit as he can upon a few trees, whereas the way to have it 
excellent is to have but little on many trees.” 
“Health is preserved”? (Treatise on Fruit-trees, 1653) “‘ by 
wholesome meats, and drinks, all the yeare from the garden 
of fruit trees. These dishes, and drinks from orchard fruits are 
both alimentall, and physicall; they cure disease, and preserve 
health. Now the garden of fruit trees is profitable to the body 
for long life, first by the bodily organs, secondly by the affections 
of the minde; the sweet perfumes of fruits work immediately 
upon the spirits for their refreshing; such healthfull ayres are 
speciall preservatives to health, and are therefore much to be 
prized.” The flavour fruits are chiefly eaten for the sake of their 
agreeable tastes, but they are also of service by reason of the 
vegetable salts of potash which they furnish. The food fruits 
contain a large proportion of special sugar which gives them a 
high nutritive value. This sugar is levulose, and better suited to 
delicate, or gouty digestions than dextrose (or cane-sugar). 
It may be utilized even by diabetic invalids without detriment, 
being given in such fruits as apples, green gooseberries, cherries, 
and green currants, before the sugar is fully matured therein. 
Or, this “levulose” can be obtained as a sugar from certain 
grocers, being a white crystalline article, of which two ounces may 
be safely, and profitably used with the daily food. The value 
of fruits as food does not lie in their nutritious constituents 
nearly so much as in their mineral salts, and in their fruit acids, 
which are of essential benefit to the health, and the blood. These 
acids, as already shown, exist in union with alkalies, and render 
uric acid (gouty, if in excess) soluble. The organic acids of 
fruits (citric, tartaric, malic, etc.) exist mainly in combination with 
alkalies, but in such a manner that no chemistry can form their 
counterpart ; we may give to a patient for scurvy citrate of 
potash as a drug (just such a chemical salt as exists in lemons, 
and oranges) somewhat successfully, but with nothing of results 
as compared with those obtained by giving the said fresh fruits, 
rich in natural citrate of potash. And it is the same with the 
other acids found combined with an alkaline base, such as malic, 
and tartaric, in grapes, apples, pears, peaches, and apricots. 
Bananas, peaches, and prunes are among the least acid fruits. 
The organic acids combined with their basic earths in fruits 
improve the quality of the blood, whilst acting as anti-scorbutics, 
laxatives, and diuretics, increasing the movements of the bowels, 
