"OLEA EUROP^EA," L. 



91 



regarded by Mr. Maltass as questionable. It is certainly a very 

 curious variety, which, if an entirely natural product, would 

 form an exception to the above remarks. 



Scammony-?'esm is distinguishable from scammony by afford- 

 ing hardly any emulsion when wetted and rubbed. 



1853. 





ON THE FEBKIFUGE PROPERTIES OF THE OLIVE 

 (OLEA EUROP^A, L). 



(Olea Eurcpcea ah Fiebermittel.) 



IN a letter which I have recently received from my friend 

 Mr. Sidney H. Maltass, of Smyrna, he draws attention to the 

 value of the leaves of the olive (Olea Europcea, L.) as a febrifuge. 

 The passage is so interesting that I shall make no apology for 

 quoting it at length : 



"... I may here tell you of a discovery I made in 1843, 

 which has proved valuable. I was in the island of Mytelene, and 

 at a time when fever and ague of the worst description were 

 raging in the island ; in fact, it was so bad that death ensued 

 frequently after a week or ten days. The small quantity of 

 quinine at the druggist's was soon exhausted, and I could pro- 

 cure none to administer to patients. Knowing that biberine 

 and salicine were often used for fever and ague, I turned over in 

 my mind all the bitters I could think of which might prove 

 effectual. Many were poisonous, and I rejected them, then 

 thought of olive leaves, and after several trials made on myself, 

 I commenced administering doses of a decoction of the leaves, 

 say two handfuls boiled in a quart of water till evaporation had 

 reduced it to a pint. This I gave in doses of a wine-glassful 

 every three or four hours. Obstinate cases of fever gave way 

 before it ; and for many years I have found it more effectual 

 than quinine. 



" I have recommended it to our medical meii, and although at 

 first they ridiculed the idea, they all use it now. It is a most 

 valuable remedy for the poor in an olive-growing country." 



This discovery is the more interesting since it corroborates 

 some observations upon the same subject made in France many 

 years previously. 



1854. 



Letter on 



olive leaves 



from Mr. 



Maltass. 



