PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 773 



all kinds of medicines ia Ayurvedic and Unani materia medica. It is 

 very much priced for various medicinal properties of its own. For 

 constipation and colds of suckling infants it is used extensively with 

 good results and is also considered very efficacious against coughs 

 and colds of children generally. For these domestic and sacred uses 

 every family makes it a point always to keep a small stock of this 

 substance. Besides its compulsory use for these purposes, as it is con- 

 sidered to be a very good blood- purifier, when available, Some persons 

 ■sip a httle honey every day. A regular use of it is considered to make 

 the system proof against fever and many other ailments. Where pro- 

 curable it is of course highly appreciated as food. It is used in making 

 " Gvlkand " or " preserve of rose flowers," in preserving fruits, and for 

 making cakes, sweetmeats, etc., which are intended to keep for some time. 

 In some places vinegar and an alcoholic drink are said to be prepared 

 from it. 



Among Europeans honey is used principally as a luxury, being eaten 

 directly with bread or biscuit. It is used by bakers and confectioners on 

 account of its keeping qualities in manufacturing their choicest articles 

 euch as honey-gums and various kinds of honey-cakes. It is also used 

 for medicinal purposes in many cough cures and salves and gargles. 



The food value of honey lies in its being already digested (in the 

 stomach of the bees) to the extent required for prompt assimilation 

 without taxmg the stomach. Cane-sugar cannot be assimilated until 

 changed into grape-sugar by digestion. When sugar is excessively 

 used the stomach Sometimes fails to bring about this digestion, the result 

 being sour stomach. The opinion of experts is that this undigested 

 sugar will be removed by the kidneys and it may result in their break- 

 down, giving rise to what is known as Bright's Disease. Many people 

 who cannot eat sugar, being unable to digest it, can easily digest honey. 

 As just explained honey is extensively used in India — not usually 

 in large quantities by individual consumers but in small lots by practically 

 every household. The total, must be a very large quantity although 

 it is not possible to arrive at any guess which will be near the mark. 

 It is certain that a large quantity of honey is imported into this 

 country although there is no record available about this too. The 

 imported honey, however, is not largely used by the Indian consumers. 

 Enormous quantities of honey are produced in India by the indigenous 

 bees. It is not possible to make an estimate, but the amount will certainly 

 be several million pounds. The defect of this honey is that those who 

 gather it do not know how to take it out fi-om the bees' combs in a 

 pure condition. It therefore ferments soon after being gathered and is 

 reduced to the condition of thin jaggery [molasses]. As it does not keep 



