FRUITS. 303 
and the flow of urine. But all persons cannot eat fruit with 
impunity. For instance, a case is on record of a patient who 
could not take a single strawberry without incurring great 
numbness in both legs; and another of a lady in whom the 
eating of ripe, uncooked fruit would provoke asthma. Skin 
eruptions likewise sometimes ensue after any such indulgence. 
Pepys tells a humorous incident about “our parson, Mr. Mills, 
on Lord’s-day, April 17th, 1664, making a remarkable mistake 
when reading the morning service; instead of saying * We 
beseech thee to preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth.” 
he prayed, ‘ Preserve to our use our Gracious Queen Katherine.’ ”’ 
Oranges, again, prove disturbing to the liver, and biliary 
functions of some persons; and with others the skin becomes 
troubled by an eruptive outbreak if one or another sort of certain 
fruits is indulged in. 
The various uses of fruits in relieving diseased conditions of 
the body have been summarised as follows: Under the category 
of laxatives we may place oranges, figs, tamarinds, prunes, 
apples, mulberries, dates, nectarines, and plums ; pomegranates, 
cranberries, blackberries, jewberries, raspberries, barberries, 
quinces, pears, wild cherries, and medlars are astringent fruits ; 
grapes, peaches, strawberries, whortleberries, prickly pears, 
black currants, and melon seeds are provocative of urine ; 
gooseberries, red and white currants, pumpkins, and melons 
are cooling fruits; whilst lemons, limes, and apples, again, are 
sedatives to the stomach. For the modern treatment of chronic 
dysentery the value of certain kinds of fresh fruit has come to 
be recognized in medical practice. Of these fruits may be 
specified apples, strawberries, fresh figs, and tomatoes, all of 
which are seed fruits as distinguished from stone fruits; it is 
essential that they shall be absolutely sound, and in good 
condition. Dr. Lacy, of Guernsey, has successfully practised 
this treatment for many years, and recently it has come into use 
by other physicians for chronic dysentery, and diarrhcea, with 
most happy results. Professor Sheridan has lately reported 
to the Linnzan Society his conclusions from experiments to 
ascertain the digestive qualities of various fruits, such as the 
fig, pineapple, melon, banana, apple, orange, also the vegetable 
marrow, cucumber, lettuce, dandelion, etc. He has found that 
the enzyme, or ferment, contained in the juices of these plants 
will exercise the property of peptonizing the higher proteids, and 
sien Ted 
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