FRUCTUS PIPERIS NIGRI. 581 



Of this quantity, the Straits Settlements supplied 25,000,000 lb., and 

 British India 250,000 lb. Of the quantity of 25,917,070 lb., imported 

 in 187G into Great Britain, the home consumption was 9 million lb. 



The exports of pepper from the United Kingdom in 1872 amounted 

 to 17.891,620 lb., the largest quantity being taken by Germany 

 (5,201,5741b.) Then follows Italy (2,288,6471b.); and Russia, Holland 

 and Spain, each of which took more than a million pounds.' 



The varieties of pepper quoted in price-currents are Malabar, AUppee 

 and Cochin, Penang, Singapore, Siara. 



A large quantity is also shipped from Singapore to China, the im- 

 ports of that country in 1877 of both black and white pepper, being 

 53,844 peculs (7,179,200 lb.) 



Uses — Pepper is not of much importance as a medicine, and is 

 rarely if ever prescribed, except indirectly as an ingredient of some 

 preparation. 



Adulteration — Whole pepper is not, we believe, liable in Europe 

 to adulteration ;- but the case is widely different as regards the pulver- 

 ized spice. Notwithstanding the enormous penalty of £100, to which 

 the manufacturer, possessor, or seller of adulterated pepper is liable,^ and 

 the low cost of the article, ground pepper has hitherto been fi-equently 

 sophisticated by the addition of the starches of cereals and potatoes, of 

 sago, mustard hu.sks, linseed and capsicum. The admixture of these 

 substances may for the most part be readily detected, after some 

 practice, by the microscope.* 



"White Pepper. 



This foi-m of the spice is prepared from black pepper by removing 

 its dark outer layer of pericarp, and thereby depriving it of a portion 

 of its pungency. It is mentioned by Dioscoiides, yet was evidently 

 very little known in Europe even during the middle ages. In the time 

 of Platearius,^ white pepper was supposed to be derived from a plant 

 different from Piper nigrum. 



Buchanan,^ referring to Travancore, remarks that white pepper is 

 made by allowing the berries to ripen ; the bunches are then gathered, 

 and having been kept for three days in the house, are washed and 

 bruised in a basket with the hand till all the stalks and pulp are 

 removed. 



The finest white pepper is obtained from Tellicherry, on the Malabar 

 Coast, but only in small quantity. The more important places for its 

 preparation are the Straits Settlements, chiefly Rhio. The export of 

 white pepper from Singapore in 1877 was 48,460 peculs. Most of the 

 spice finds its way to China, where it is highly esteemed. In Europe, 

 pepper in its natural state is with good reason prefen*ed. 



* Annual Statement of the Trade of the * C!onsnlt, Hassall, Food and Us Adullei-- 



U.K. for \8~2. 59. 125. ations, Lond. 1855. 42; Evans, Pharm. 



2 According to Moodeen Sheriflf {Suppl. to Journ. i. (1860) 605. 



Pharm. of India, lM)theherTiesoi Embelia ^ Glossce in antidotarium Nicolai. ccjUwi. 



(Samara) Rihes, order Myrsinece, are said to verso. 



be sometimes used for adulterating black « In the work quoted, page 579, ii. 465, 



pepper in the Indian bazaars. 533, and iii. 224. 



» By the 59 George III. c. 53 § 22 (1819). 



