CHAPTER X 

 THE GRAPE (Vitis) 



THE grape (Nat. Ord. VitacecE) is by common consent 

 ranked next to the apple in point of concentrated 

 health value; by many it is put first and no fruit has been 

 so widely used as a systematic "cure," one recognised by 

 the medical profession as filling perfectly the promise or 

 meaning of this term. The foreign, scientific and practical 

 method of taking this treatment, under the care of physi- 

 cians, is no more unusual than the taking of mineral waters 

 at resorts established in the vicinity of medicinal springs. 

 Its health-giving qualities were known ages ago and its 

 habitual use in the form of the simple fruit, the unfermented 

 juice, or wine, are mentioned familiarly in the earliest 

 Biblical and secular historical records. The old Greeks 

 and Persians valued it and preserved the fresh fruit as far 

 out of season as possible, making also a syrup which con- 

 tained its fresh flavour and aroma. 



In the grape-cures different kinds of grapes — those 

 varying in sweetness, etc., are used, as individual cases 

 seem to require. Some grapes contain as high as 30% of 

 sugar or as low as 10% and this element is one of the most 

 important contained in the fruit. There are also in it 

 albuminous matter, gum, dextrine, tartrates of soda, potash, 

 phosphoric acid, lime, magnesia, and iron, and a large per 

 cent, of water. In addition, as Holbrook states, "No 

 grape i| entirely devoid of the vinous acid, similar to the 

 malic acid of the apple," and "some grapes contain con- 

 siderable tannin and fatty oils." The colouring matter 



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