566 : MEALS MEDICINAL. 
graves, the victims of the multitude of maladies of both mind, 
and body, that are connected with chronic incurable dyspepsia 
brought about by the use of Cayenne, and its condimental 
cousins.” 
For catarrh of the stomach which gives distress without 
feverish disturbance, or for gout of stomach under the like 
conditions, a tea made by pouring boiling water on sufficient 
Cayenne Pepper, and drinking half a tumblerful (whilst quite 
hot) at a time will give relief. 
A Capsicum ointment, or Chilli paste, will almost invariably 
serve to mitigate the painful stiffness of chronic rheumatism 
if rubbed in topically for ten minutes at a time with a gloved 
hand. This paste is to be made with “ capsicin,” the oleo-resin 
of the pods (half an ounce), and sheep’s-wool oil (lanoline), 
five ounces, melting the latter, and after adding the capsicin 
letting them be stirred together until cold. Indolent piles 
which have extruded, and the circulation in which is stagnant, 
can be stimulated to reduction by the use of this ointment when 
diluted so as to cause only moderate smarting. At the same 
time the viands taken at table should be sprinkled with Cayenne 
Pepper. For a scrofulous discharge from the ears of a child 
Capsicum tincture, of a weak strength (four drops to a tablespoon- 
ful of cold water), injected three times a day, will exercise cura- 
tive effects. In passive congestion of the eyes through catarrh, 
or rheumatism, the diluted juice of Capsicum used as a lotion 
is a sovereign remedy. It will even clear the sight of healthy 
eyes, but must not be used too strong, only sufficiently so as to 
produce a temporary smarting. A “poor man’s plaster” 
made of Capsicum extract, or Cayenne Pepper, mixed with 
melted resin plaster, and then spread on brown paper, is of 
admirable use in lumbago, and chronic rheumatism; it must 
be warmed before application. This, and the Chilli paste, excite 
comforting’ sensations of warmth in the skin, with redness 
thereof, but they do not blister it. “I am improved,” wrote 
Sydney Smith to Mrs. Grote, “as to lumbago, but still less 
upright than Aristides.” Unbroken chilblains may be readily 
cured by rubbing them once a day with a small piece of sponge 
saturated by a tincture of Cayenne Pepper, until a strong sense 
of tingling is induced. ‘The occurrence of chilblains,” says 
Dr. Rabagliati, “is for the most part an indication of over- 
feeding, or of feeding too often, in much the same way as corns 
