B I T 



472 



U I T 



derate, pale-green ; toe* and claws long and slender, middle 

 claw serrated on the inner edge, most probably to aid it in 

 securing its slippery prey. 



[llolanrus 



BITTERS, a collective term applied to those vegetable 

 substances the most prominent sensible quality of which is 

 bitlernesi. ' Bitterness,' says Dr. Cullen, ' is a simple per- 

 ception that cannot be defined, but must be referred to a 

 matter of experience in which mankind arc commonly 

 agreed.' It was at one time attempted to refer this quality 

 to an hypothetical principle, which was termed bitter prin- 

 ciple ; but it was soon perceived that substances having a 

 bitter taste were indebted for it to very different sources. 

 In the progress of science this term was limited to such 

 natural non-azotized substances as possessed the general 

 character of extractive, which was designated bitter ex- 

 tractive, and subdivided into mild bitter, sharp bitter, and 

 narcotic bitter extractive. More recently, the pure non- 

 azotized substances, to which many plants arc indebted for 

 their bitterness, have been obtained separately, and even 

 crystallized, such as gentianine, salicine, &c. But bitter- 

 ness is not confined to vegetable substances destitute of 

 azote, but is possessed by many alkaloids, into the composi- 

 tion of which azote enters, such as quinia, strychnia, 

 brucia, &c. As some of these constitute valuable medicinal 

 agents, as well as the non-azotized substances, it seems 

 improper to adopt a chemical arrangement of these articles 

 as the foundation of our observations. Any bitter sub- 

 stance taken into the mouth produces instantly a sensation 

 which on the first trial is seldom relished, but to which the 

 taste soon becomes reconciled, so that most persons can con- 

 tinue the use of bitter longer than sweet substances. This 

 impression on the organs of taste seems to have little general 

 effect beyond causing a secretion of saliva in most indi- 

 viduals, and it is not till they reach the stomach thut they 

 produce much effect. Upon the mucous membrane and 

 muscular fibres of the stomach, as well as upon the neigh- 

 bouring glands associated with it in the function of diges- 

 tion, especially the liver and pancreas, they produce a very 

 decided effect. Gummy matter, which forms a considerable 

 portion of most vegetable food, does not easily submit to the 

 action of the digestive organs, but frequently passes through 

 the intestines very little changed. But when associated 

 with bitter extractive it is soon digested, and yields a large 

 quantity of nourishment. Saccharine matter or sugar is 

 not, when existing alone in vegetable food, adequate to the 

 support of the animals which feed upon it, but they be- 

 come plump and healthy if any bitter matter exist in the 



plants along with the sugar, or if they have access to other 

 plants almost exclusivity Uiier, to which they eagerly 

 resort. Where there is a deficiency of bitter matter, and 

 the food is of a very watery kind, such a* grows in wet 

 pastures, the cattle suffer from various diseases, especially 

 from the rot. 



That bitters develope and heighten the vitality of the 

 stomach seems clear, and in popular language they are 

 called stomachics. But they also cause an increased secre- 

 tion of the juices of the stomach essential to digc-tiun, and 

 also of the bile and pancreatic juice. The secretions are 

 also improved in quality, and when previous!) 

 may even be diminished in quantity, as a greater i 

 of firmness and tone is imparted to the whole intestinal 

 canal, by which hasty and imperfect secretion is pic\n,i, <!. 

 The beneficial effects of this improved condition of the 

 stomach are extended to the rest of the system by two 

 means, the first, sympathy, which is speedy in its action ; 

 the second, more slow, being the result of the improved 

 blood obtained from better digestion being distributed 

 through the system. The nature of sympathy is little 

 understood, but the effects of that disposition or consent of 

 parts to act in concert or harmony, which physiologists 

 have agreed to term sympathy, are sufficiently manifest. 

 The stomach has been called the centre of sympathy, from 

 its influence upon" every organ of the body, and of m <*{ 

 organs of the body upon it, according to their respective 

 condition. But by a well-ascertained law of the system the 

 sympathies of the stomach are greatest with those parts 

 the constituents of which arc similar to its own : hence 

 mucous surfaces and the muscular fibres throughout the 

 whole body participate in its changes more extensively 

 than other parts. Hence by improving the state of the 

 stomach and intestinal canal every muscle and every artery, 

 for they as well as the heart are muscular tubes, acquire 

 an increased tone, by which the elasticity and energy of the 

 system is greatly augmented. By the improved digestion 

 of the food, a better kind of blood containing more ti brine 

 and red particles is circulated, and conveyed to every part 

 of the body, by which not only better materials are supplied 

 to the glands, out of which to form the secretions, but from 

 which a firmer and better llesh is deposited ; and thus the 

 individual finds his strength much increased. The nervous 

 system likewise partakes of the benefit, and the mind is in 

 general clear and active. 



Such being the common effect of the use of bitters, some 

 writers regard them as synonymous with tonics; but as 

 all tonic medicines are not bitter, such, for example, as 

 arsenic, this view cannot be taken, though many of the 

 most valuable tonics are bitter. They have tin* property in 

 common with most tonics : that their continued use seems 

 to impair the power of the stomach, and leave it in a state 

 of greater weakness than at first. Hence their employment 

 should only be temporary, to raise the powers of digestion 

 when they have been enfeebled by previous disease or ex- 

 cessive fatigue. There exists another reason for caution 

 in their use : they have a great tendency to increase the 

 quantity of blood, both by augmenting the appetite, owing 

 to which more food is taken, and from which a more nutri- 

 tive and stimulating chyle is extracted, by which a plethoric 

 state of the blood-vessels is induced, and all the attendant 

 evils brought about. These cautionary remarks apply as 

 well to malt liquors as to those bitters unassr.riatcd with 

 any nutritive matter which are only employed as medi- 

 cines. The full and often bloated habit of body of those 

 who daily consume a large portion of strong ale or porter 

 siilliciently demonstrates the consequences of such indul- 

 Besides, hops possess, like many other bitters, 

 more or less of a narcotic principle, so that the purest beer 

 produces an injurious effect on the brain, if taken in con- 

 siderable quantity. The sleepiness which follows its use 

 shows this, as well as the fate ot those who are addicted to it. 

 4 In seven cases out of ten, mall-liquor drunkards die of 

 apoplexy or palsy.' A very moderate use, during dinner, 

 of a beer not containing so much nutritious matter, or too 

 much hop, is allowable to most persons, but it should be 

 thoroughly iciiiientrcl and purified, and not be hard or stale. 



I'ersinis naturally of a full habit of body should carefully 

 avoid the stronger ale* and porters. These remarks do not 

 apply to the medical employment of strong ales as a tonic 

 or restorative during convalescence from acute diseases, as 

 few agents so speedily recruit the exhausted |x>wers, or re- 

 place the wasted llesh of the sufferer, Neither are they in- 



