202 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF JAMAICA. 



which diseases have often heretofore baffled the most skilful 

 physicians. 



(The figure of the leaves, and structure of the flowers, are 

 so much alike in the whole genus, that, with the exception of 

 the lime, we cannot, with certainty, pronounce whether the 

 young tree will bear an orange, shaddock, or forbidden fruit. 



The lime tree is of smaller growth than the orange or 

 shaddock, and the leaves are one-third less, and of a dark 

 green colour. They blossom twice a year, and bear abun- 

 dance of fruit, of a most delicious fragrance, yellow, smoother 

 than a lemon, and large as a golden pippin. The juice is 

 highly acid, and it is preferred to lemon juice. 



The whole genus of citrus are pretty trees, especially when 

 in bloom, or when the fruit is ripe. The author of The Su- 

 gar Cane finely observes : 



" Amid their verdant umbrage countless glow, 

 With fragrant fruit of vegetable gold." 



The antiseptic virtues of native vegetable acids are well 

 known. In ardent fevers nature points out their use, and 

 they should never be denied to the suffering patient. In bi- 

 lious fevers, by uniting with the bile, they form a vegetable 

 ammoniac, which, like other neutrals, is purgative, and car- 

 ries the disorder off by stool. I prefer a beverage of the Se- 

 ville orange iuice to that of the rest. 



Weak punch is the most common drink in the West In- 

 dies, and by far the best suited to the constitutions of the 

 inhabitants. Those who use grog or rum, have sallow com- 

 plexions, pains in their stomachs, frequent belly- aches, jaun- 

 dice, dropsies, rheumatism, &c. After a residence of many 

 years in these climates, I never knew any one who made a 

 liberal use of acids, afflicted with any of the above disorders ; 

 but such, on the contrary, had clear complexions, and en- 

 joyed good health.) 



