570 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
obstruct the throat in diphtheria; it is also anti-scorbutic, and 
excellent for other forms of sore throat. 
The essential volatile oil of Pine-apple, on which its character- 
istic flavour depends, is chemically ethyl butyrate. This 
particular flavour is frequently imparted to rum as a spirit by 
adding some slices of Pine-apple; which special spirit through 
such chemical flavouring augments the amount of carbonic acid 
exhaled from the lungs, though all other alcoholic beverages 
retard such expiration. “This particular ‘vanity’ (as Mr. 
Stiggins denominated ‘ the liquor called rum ’) not being allowed 
to be sold in that ere establishment—the Fleet Prison, Clare 
Market,—Mrs. Weller recommended a bottle of Port wine, 
warmed with water, and with spice, and sugar, as being grateful 
to the stomach, and savouring less of ‘ vanity’ than many other 
compounds.” For “Rum Punch Syrup”: “Take a quart of 
rum, half a pint of fresh lemon-juice, and two pounds of sugar 
(clarified) ; pour into this the lemon-juice, and stir it up until 
it simmers ; then take the pan off the fire, and pour the syrup 
into a porcelain dish. When it is cold, add the rum, and stir 
well up, and put into bottles. This syrup keeps well. Some 
of it can be made into Punch when required by adding a sufficient 
quantity of boiling water; or it may be mixed with tea.” 
Rum is a spirit much favoured in Yorkshire, particularly at 
funerals, when the ‘ baked meats are coldly furnished forth.” 
On the occasion of Ephraim Shackleton’s wife’s burial at Ling 
Crag “there was no stint of drink, or victuals at the Trawdon 
Inn. First, there was Rum for such as cared to take it; and 
the women—their faces showing red against black-bordered 
handkerchiefs—were no less willing than the men. Tongues 
began to wag; and the dead woman’s virtues mellowed as the 
glasses went their round, and the hour for tea grew near. It 
was a gallant meal enough—ham, and cheese, and spiced loaf ; 
strange cakes, of different shapes, and colours; mince-pies left 
over from the Christmas junketings; tea for the ostensible 
drink, but with it little pots of Rum that served as a second 
kind of cream for most of the sombre-gowned, bright company ” 
(Through Sorrow’s Gates, 1904). 
A beef-meal powder, wherein the Pine-apple juice has pre- 
digested the beef to a considerable extent, is now an excellent, 
and reliable article of commerce for the invalid. Happily the 
ferment of Pine-apple, when acting upon animal substance 
