AURANTIACEjE. 169 



authors do not, as is their wont, give any Greek synonyme of either, but of 

 the citron, which is supposed to have been known to the Romans." 



The Lemon is now cultivated in all tropical climates; but the principal 

 supply to our markets is from the Mediterranean, and especially from Sicily, 

 though some are derived from the West Indies and other warm regions. 

 The Lemon bears fruit much more freely, and of a better quality, in the ar- 

 tificial climate of a hot-house, than the orange, which seldom attains any 

 perfection, at least in this country. 



The juice and rind are officinal. The latter is pale yellow and rough, the 

 colour darkening on drying. It has an aromatic and bitter taste, and an 

 agreeable, fragrant odour ; these properties are owing to the presence of a 

 volatile oil and of a bitter principle. It is an aromatic stimulant, principally 

 employed, however, as a mere flavouring ingredient, being seldom or never 

 administered alone. The volatile oil (oil of lemons), although carminative 

 and diaphoretic, is more used as a perfume, and to mask the taste of nau- 

 seous medicines, than as a remedial agent ; some success has attended its 

 employment as an external stimulant, especially in chronic inflammations of 

 the eye. 



The juice owes its sourness to the presence of the citric acid it contains, 

 in combination with mucilage, extractive matter, some sugar, and water. 

 Scheele was the first chemist who obtained this acid in a pure state. The 

 process he devised is the same now employed, that of saturating the juice 

 with chalk, and decomposing the citrate of lime thus formed, by means of 

 sulphuric acid, when the vegetable acid is set free, and may be purified and 

 crystallized. Citric acid thus obtained is extremely acid, but not as agreea- 

 ble as the juice itself; it is, therefore, but seldom used in medicine, when the 

 latter can be procured. It is, however, largely employed in the arts. 



Medical Properties, fyc. — Lemon-juice, as being one of the most grateful 

 of the acids, is much used in the formation of refreshing drinks in febrile 

 complaints, and also in the preparation of effervescing draughts. A mixture 

 of this kind, made with one scruple of the carbonate of potash dissolved in an 

 ounce of water, and half an ounce of lemon-juice, taken in a state of effer- 

 vescence, is advantageously employed to check vomiting and to diminish 

 morbid irritability of the stomach. But the juice appears to possess proper- 

 ties of a higher order: Whytt found that, given in half ounce doses, that it al- 

 layed the paroxysm of hysteria, and relieved palpitation of the heart. As a 

 preventive to scurvy, this article is well known, and the only drawback to its 

 general use is the difficulty of preserving it on long voyages. The crystal- 

 lized citric has been substituted for it ; but it has been found that this, 

 although useful, is not equal to the juice itself. It has also been much re- 

 commended in poisoning by opium and its preparations; but, in general, the 

 directions for its use are highly erroneous, as it is spoken of as an antidote 

 for the poison, which it is far from being, as, if it is given whilst the poison 

 remains in the stomach, it adds to its effect on the system, by rendering the 

 morphia more soluble; but if it be administered after the removal of the nar- 

 cotic, it is of much benefit, in restoring the powers of the stomach, and in 

 giving relief to the patient. In the West Indies and South America, a cata- 

 plasm of the pulp mixed with common salt, is a usual remedy for the bites 

 of venomous reptiles. 



There are several other species or marked varieties of Citrus, among 

 which the C.'acida, or Lime, is very largely used for the preparation of 

 citric acid. Almost all the juice that comes from the West Indies is obtained 

 from this fruit, and not from the Lemon ; it is more acid, but possessed of the 



