GINGER. 215 



removed for a third, or fourth; but more than 

 three are seldom requisite. The shifted sy- 

 rups are not lost ; for, in Jamaica, they are di- 

 luted with water, and fermented into a plea- 

 sant liquor, called cool drink, with some mix- 

 ture of the chaw-stick, lignum vitce, and sugar. 



" This root, however, either in its natural 

 state or candied, is esteemed a good remedy 

 against the cholic, loosenesses of the belly, and 

 windy disorders. It strengthens the stomach, 

 Kelps digestion, and is often added as a cor- 

 rector to purges ; its use in culinary prepara- 

 tions is well known." * 



The roots of ginger appear to be much less 

 liable to heat the constitution than might be 

 expected from its penetrating warmth and 

 pungency of taste. It gives out the whole of 

 its virtue to rectified spirit, and great part of 

 it to water. The spiritous tincture, inspis- 

 sated, yields a fiery extract, smelling mode- 

 rately of the ginger. A syrup made from an 

 infusion of three or four ounces of the root, 

 in three pints of boiling water, is kept in the 

 shops. The cases in which ginger is more 

 immediately serviceable, are flatulent cholics, 

 debility and laxity of the system, and in tor- 



# Long, p. 700. 



