CONDIMENTS 93 



Thayer (U.S.A.) * records that in intermittent fever the 

 paroxysm always follows the segmentation (increase) of a 

 group of microbes. 



G. F. Butler (U.S.A.) \ says that " the aromatics (spices) 

 are powerful antiseptics, and possess properties very similar 

 to the more typical antiseptics." He also goes on to state 

 that " during the cholera in Paris and London, perfumers 

 were immune," and also that "when the Dutch destroyed 

 the clove tree in one of their East Indian colonies it suffered 

 from epidemics and disorders unknown before." 



Peron % says that he " was convinced that he preserved his 

 health during a long and difficult voyage by habitual use of 

 Betel ; while his companions, who did not use it, died 

 mostly of dysentery." 



Bancroft states || " it is a general mistake that spices are 

 detrimental, whereas nothing is more productive of health, 

 and we find Nature provides and has taught the inhabitants 

 their use. They season their food with a great quantity of 

 pepper (chillies). By this practice the Indians wholly 

 preserve themselves from intermittent fevers which are 

 endemical to the other inhabitants of Guiana who do not 

 imitate them." 



Each country has its compounds or combinations. 

 Malagueta pepper with baobab leaves (West Africa) ; pan, 

 which consists of betel pepper leaves, etc. (tropical Asia) ; 

 cassareep, which consists of concentrated manioc juice with 

 well-known spices (tropical America and West Indies) ; 



* " Malarial Fever," 1897, p. 245. 



t " Text-book of Materia Medica," 1896, sect. "Aromatics." 



X " Voyage aux Terres Australes." 



11 " Natural History of Guiana." 



