XI 



CAPSICUMS 381 



other purpose. The pepper used that way was tasteless, 

 and seemed to contain a large amount of fatty matter. 

 It was dark in colour, and the object was to whiten the 

 colour of the feathers." 



This pepper is supposed to be, and doubtless is, a 

 variety of Capsicum annuum, and is not at all pungent, 

 but has the pleasant capsicum flavour. It is chiefly, 

 I believe, used for canary-birds, being accredited with 

 giving the feathers a deeper and richer yellow. 



In country places it used to be the custom to give 

 hens, especially during the winter, a teaspoonful of 

 cayenne pepper at intervals when they were not laying 

 eggs, as it was supposed to act as a stimulant to induce 

 them to lay. 



In medicine it is chiefly used in the form of a gargle, 

 and occasionally as a liniment, and internally to promote 

 digestion. It is also made into a lozenge with sugar 

 and tragacanth as a remedy for colds and hoarseness, 

 and is thus used by public speakers and singers. It is 

 used internally for gout, rheumatism, and dyspepsia, and 

 is popular in India with asafoetida and sweet flag as a 

 remedy for cholera. It is also valued highly in cases of 

 delirium tremens. In the West Indies it is recommended 

 in scarlatina, the fruit being bruised and macerated in 

 boiling water with salt and vinegar added when cold. 

 In Brazil a decoction in water is used as an enema for 

 children in constipation. 



The violent acridity of the fruit is caused by a 

 substance known as Capsicin, a violent poison, the 

 fumes of which when heated are extremely irritating to 

 respiration. 



GENERAL NOTES 



Chili es and capsicums are cultivated all over the 

 warmer regions of the world, and have a more extended 

 area than any other spice. They grow well and readily 

 in the hottest parts of the world, and in more temperate 

 regions nearly up to the area of winter frosts. A very 

 large proportion of the cultivated fruit is used locally 



