FRUITS. 313 
of which there is otherwise a risk, leading to a relapse. This 
juice gives relief against intestinal colic, besides being admirable 
when applied to a sore tongue, as well as for burns. It contains 
fruit sugar, malic acid, limonic acid, a pigment, tannin, and 
pectins. The typhoid bacillus becomes killed within twelve 
hours. 
Certain fruits are largely imported from countries where they 
abound more plentifully than with ourselves, as canned, or 
tinned fruits, excellent in quality when preserved air-tight. 
However, if a can of apricots, cherries, peaches, or other fruit 
be opened, seeing that each of these several fruits is acidulous, 
then, unless the contents are immediately turned out upon an 
earthenware plate, or into a dish made of earthenware, or glass, 
the action of the acid combining with the surrounding air will 
begin to engender a deadly metallic poison. If the fruit is 
allowed to stand for some time in the opened tin, or metal can, 
then the work of poison goes on. Fresh fruits in hermetically- 
sealed cans, if properly prepared, and kept air-tight, do not 
generate any poison. For a similar reason lemonade, or other 
extemporized sustaining drinks which are acidulous, should never 
be made in a tin bucket, nor allowed to stand in a vessel of tin. 
Jams, and Preserves, consist of fruits conserved in a strong 
solution of sugar. The fruit acids, aided by the high temperature 
employed in the course of preparation, bring about the conversion 
of a considerable part of the cane sugar into what is termed 
the “invert” form, 7.e., a mixture of dextrin, and levulose, 
such as may be made by boiling cane sugar with acids. “ Almost 
half the weight of any jam is made up of sugar in one form or 
another.” Few persons realize now-a-days how many of the 
good old-fashioned preserves were had recourse to formerly in 
times of sickness. Black Currant jam, for instance, was almost 
a specific, and in those days every housewife kept by her a store 
thereof for needs of illness. Elder flowers, again, were used for 
making a drink invaluable for colds, and bronchial troubles. 
In short, with the well-stocked herb garden the variety of dainty 
remedies which could be produced was almost infinite. Said 
the White Queen to Alice (in Through the Looking Glass), “ Pil 
take you with pleasure as my lady’s-maid : twopence a week, 
and jam every other day.” Alice replied, “I don’t care for 
jam: I don’t want any to-day, at any rate.” “ You couldn't 
have it if you did want it,” said the Queen; “ the rule is jam 
