702 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
which are pathogenic (morbid),” so says Dr. Plowright, of 
King’s Lynn. Again, other quaint poultices range from those 
of bread-crumb, and bran, to mucilaginous barks and mashes; 
from slippery elm to slices of pork: from crushed ice to 
cranberry jam; and from bubbling yeast to burning mustard, 
and bruised cabbage leaves. 
Improvement in the cultivation of the Tomato during recent 
years first began through recognizing how frequent were the 
cases occurring of the obstructive, and increasing trouble 
appendicitis,” also through a searching enquiry into the probable 
causes of this growing malady, so often fatal in its results. A 
conviction became general, on highly probable grounds, that 
the attacks depended on impaction of small foreign bodies 
mischievously lodging themselves within the narrow appendix- 
tube of the first large bowel (cecum), such, for instance, as the 
diminutive seeds of some vegetables, and fruits; whereupon the 
doom of the Tomato was threatened because of the numerous 
tiny seeds which it contains. There were at that time in the 
market Tomatoes, large, small, and highly coloured, all abounding 
in seeds of such a sort. Here then was a serious situation 
confronting the extensive growers of Tomatoes, as well as 
vegetable gardeners in general. However, the leading Tomato- 
producers did not despair, but declared that if the public declined 
to eat a Tomato containing seeds, they would grow a Tomato 
without seeds; and they did,—not utterly and entirely free 
from seeds, but with so few as to justify the assertion of the 
originators that they had succeeded in producing a seedless 
Tomato ; whereupon this fruit became restored again to popular 
favour, being now found to have improved also in sweetness. 
By the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd, who was a good naturalist, 
it was asserted with seeming veracity that the cannibal inhabit- 
ants of the Fiji Islands hold in high repute a native Tomato 
which they have named the Solanum anthropophagorum, and 
which they devour par excellence with “Cold Missionary.” 
Nearer home a worthy old dame has been known to enquire in 
appropriately pathetic tones at a circulating library for Foxe’s 
Book of To-Martyrs. ‘* Chops, and Tomato sauce” were ordered 
to be got ready by Mrs. Bardell for Mr. Pickwick’s dinner, 
as evidenced by the famous letter from his unsuspecting pen 
to the amatory landlady in Goswell Street. ‘“ Gentlemen,” says 
Sergeant Buzfuz in his address to the Jury at the subsequent 
