506 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
by discriminating connoisseurs, who make it into delicious 
sandwiches. Again, Cocoa-nut butter is derived from Ceylon, 
being made entirely from the Cocoa-nut, tasting like oil, and 
never going rancid. As a substitute for butter many persons 
find this Cocoa-nut product quite satisfactory. 
NUTMEG. 
THE tree (Myristica fragrans) from which our Nutmeg comes, 
occurs in the Molucca Islands, and the part of the nut which 
constitutes this spice is the kernel. ‘ Nux Moschata ” is given 
as a name to the Nutmeg (or Mugget, a diminutive of musk) 
because of its aromatic odour. Mace is the dried aril, or seed- 
covering of the Nutmeg, being when fresh of a beautiful crimson 
colour as a fleshy, net-like envelope, and very fragrant; it Is 
used in cookery, and in pickles. There are three varieties of 
the Nutmeg—the male, or barren, the royal, and the queen; 
this last, a small, round Nutmeg, being considered the best. 
A volatile sweet-smelling oil is afforded by these nuts, in the 
proportion of 6 per cent, which oil is of a warming, cordial nature, 
very comforting for cold, languid indigestion, with flatulence 
and giddiness, but when given at all largely it is essentially 
narcotic. The oil distilled in Britain from Nutmegs is superior 
to foreign oi]. Four Nutmegs have been known to completely 
paralyse the nervous sensibilities, producing a sort of wakeful 
unconsciousness for three entire days, with loss of memory 
afterwards, and with more or less lack of nervous power until 
after eight days. When taken to any excess, whether as a spice, 
or a medicine, the Nutmeg, and its preparations, are apt to cause 
some giddiness, oppression of the chest, stupor, and even 
delirium. A moderate dose of the oil is from two to four drops 
on sugar, for relieving dyspepsia with intestinal distension ; 
or, better than this is the spirit of Nutmeg, made by mixing 
one part of the oil with forty parts of some spirit, and thoroughly 
shaking them together; half a teaspoonful of this Nutmeg ~ 
spirit is a proper dose, together with half a wineglassful of hot 
water, and sweetened to the taste. Against diarrhea, Nutmeg 
grated into hot water is very helpful, proving in mild cases aD 
efficient substitute for opium. Old Gerarde says: “ Nutmegs 
cause a sweet breath, and amend those that do stink; they are 
good against freckles, they quicken the sight, strengthen the 
