PLUMS. 573 
he means those simple uncombined purgatives which everybody 
can administer to themselves, such as stewed prunes, chewing 
a little rhubarb, or dissolving an ounce and a half of sweet manna 
in fair water, with the juice of a lemon to make it palatable.” 
In common with Pine-apple juice, and that of figs, the pulp of 
Plums possesses a peptic ferment which will help the digestion 
of milk, cheese, and light meats, materially. This fruit is useful 
for costive habits if made into an electuary, or simple jam; 
but when unripe, Plums provoke choleraic diarrhoea. The 
garden sorts contain less sugar than cherries, but a considerable 
amount of gelatinizing pectose. Lately the superintendent 
physician of a Reformatory at Chicago found that the boys 
behaved themselves much better when taking prunes in their 
diet than at any other time; these act, as he supposes, on 
certain organic parts which are the seats, and centres of the 
passions. “Little Jack Horner,” says the familiar Nursery 
Rhyme, “ sat in a corner, eating a Christmas pie: he put in his 
thumb, and he pulled out a Plum, and said ‘ What a good boy 
amici,” 
** Inquit, et unum extrahens prunum, 
“ Horner, quam fueris nobile pueris 
Exemplar imitabile ! ” 
Culpeper has said, ‘‘ All Plumbs are under Venus, and are like 
women,—some better, some worse.” French Plums are conveyed 
to England in their dried state from Marseilles, the sweetness 
having been developed by drying. ‘‘ Prune butter” may be 
made, without any sugar, by passing the stewed fruit through 
a colander so as to remove the skins. Prunes can be taken 
with benefit at breakfast for correcting a disposition to acid 
dyspepsia. They contain 2 per cent of proteid, 74 per cent of 
carbohydrates, 4 per cent of mineral salts, and 18 per cent of 
water. In cookery Prunes are stewed for a sauce, or otherwise 
prepared, being nutritious, demulcent, and in a measure laxative. 
For drying them, at first the fruit is dipped into hot liquid so as 
to crack their sides, and then dipped into cold water, being left on 
trays when taken out, so as to mature in the sun for four, or five 
days ; they are finally picked according to size. A Prune Mould, 
excellent against habitual constipation, and beneficial for 
weakly invalids, is to be made thus: “ Put half a pound of 
Prunes in a stewpan, with a pint of water, and six ounces of 
sugar; stew slowly until tender; pass through a fine sieve. 
