56 LIME lUlCli. 



demand for luxuries began to increase. It spread in 

 Italy simultaneoush' \\-itli the use of lemonade, the pre- 

 paration of which had been learnt from the Orientals. 

 The first "Limandiers", \vhich were soon to pla\' a sim- 

 ilar part to the "Cafetiers" of toda^-, appeared in 

 Paris at the time of Cardinal Mazarin. ^Fhe Lemon, 

 which possesses the same piiriUing' jjroperties as the 

 Citron, makes a drink \'\-hich is not onh- refreshing but 

 also antiseptic. In the herbals of Tabernaemontanus, 

 "Der Arzney Doctoris und Chur-Furstlicher Pfaltz Me- 

 dici", which dates from the latter half of the sixteenth 

 centur\-. \\e are told that Lime-juice "is not onh' a spe- 

 cific for internal complaints and poison", but also "lor 

 all sadness, heav\'-heartedness and melancholy". The 

 peel is said to counteract poison, "for in times of plague 

 it should be kept in the mouth, and also be used for 

 fumigating". Lime-juice is toda\- th^ most efficacious 

 anti-scorbutic, counteracting that disease of the mouth 

 and gums to which sailors are especialh' subject. For 

 this reason Lime-juice is carried in sealed bottles on 

 the war ships of the English nav\', and other countries 

 have followed their example. 



I have endeax'oured to ascertain the origin of the 

 custom, Avhicli is still so \\'idely spread, among bearers, 

 of carr\ing a Lemon in their hand at lunerals. This 

 was at one time an almost universal practice. I have 

 come to the conclusion that it was otiginalh' on account 

 of the purifying properties and strong scent of the Le- 

 mon, and that later a symbolic meaning has come to be 

 attached to it. The Lemon has subserved many sym- 



