NUT 
tough; and which by opening at the tip feparates into two 
valves, and difcovers the ‘ mace,”? (fee Macz,) which 
has a reticulated appearance, and divides into three portions, 
which clofely inveft a flender hell, ner the feed or 
nutmeg. This is marked on the outfide many vermi- 
cular furrows, within of a flefhy fanceots fubftance 
variegated with whitifh and bay, and 
bottom for the embryo. poe tree yields three crops 
annually ; the firft in April, ich the beit; the fecon 
in Auguft, and the third in Decca: 3 yet the fruit requires 
nine months to ripen it. en it is gathered, the .outer 
coriaceous covering is firft ftripped off, and then the inner 
carefully feparated and dried in the fun. The nutmegs in 
the fhell are expofed to heat and fmoke for three months, 
then broken, and the kernels thrown into a ftrong 
of lime and water, which is fuppofed to be neceffary for 
their prefervation, after which they are cleaned and packed 
e fame intention the mace is forinkled with 
denominated the Queen nutmeg, 
nut, is the beft. ‘They are imported in ane which contain 
each from 100 to 140lbs. weight; the mace comes alfo in 
chefts of different on the Y effential ‘ol, which is obtained 
ation of the nuts, is brought in bottles, 
and the expreffed mies in iy ae jars. Nutmegs are well known, 
as they have been long ufed both for culinary and medical 
By diftillation, or sad ely they. yield an oil 
of great fragranc and ufe in medici we 
odic or hypnoti 
furface of the remaining deco¢tion is found 
g an undtuous concrete matter, like tallow, of a white 
colour, nearly infipid, not eafily corruptible, and hence re- 
commended as a bafis for odoriferous balfams: the deco@tion, 
freed from this febaceous matter, and infpiflated, leaves a 
weakly bitter, fubaftringent extra. 
e largeft rag avieft nutmegs are to be 
as are of the fhape of an olive, well marbled withoutfide, 
reddifh within, ane in fubftance, and of a fragrant 
chofen ; fuch 
cohol and ether extra the whole virtue of nutmegs 
by infufion; and elevate very little of it in diftillation ; 
hence the fpirituous extra& poffeffes the flavour of the {pice 
in an eminent degree. When the ethereal tinGure, which is 
limpid and of a golden yellow colour, is eva aporated i in water, 
an equal portion of volatile effential oil unites with the 
water, and a white, opaque, granular, febaceous fubftance, 
the appearance of the 
igefte 
low, and acquires the qualities of a {pirituous folution of the 
effential oil. The undiffolved fubftance, if wafhed d in water, 
is nearly infipid, melts at a temperature of 150°, and on 
collecting, concretes into a a cae brittle cake, which 
The part of the n 
elon “onesthir 
rawn, is lena 
nd yellow, but on cooling acquires the pert wie of {per- 
2 
NUT 
maceti, and fomewhat of the =} Faria of aa ee 
being whitih, mottled with re eddifh- brow sige 
flig 
laciniated, flexible, thin pieces, unctuous ee 
of a deep reddifh-yellow colour. Alcohol and ether extra@ 
its active principles ; and when the ethereal tin@ure is eva- 
porated in water, a thick deep yellow-coloured, very pun 
gent, ‘and odorous oil is left in drops on the furface of the 
water, with fome refin; and a {mall sadaebim of extraCtive is 
alfo depofited, but no w 
N 
utmegs, when he 
a third, which is “the work of all, and gale ca valle d 
“ commen oil of mace.”” This is an artificial compofition of 
fevum, palm oil, and i like, flavoured with a little genuine 
oil of nutme The medicinal qualities of nutmeg are fup- 
pofed to be aromatic, - ne, ftomachic, and reftringent, 
and with a view mention ed effects, it has been 
much ufed i 
ypnotic power, in fuch a 
dangerous. Bontius {peaks of this as a frequent occurrence 
in India; and Dr. Cullen (Mat. Med. vol. it.) relates a re- 
ka 
a be very improper. 
vis ‘carbonatis calcis compofitus, - © Trochifci - 
natis calcis,’? E.D. Thofe of the oil are ‘6  Spirita am- 
moni aromaticus,”’ D. “ Pilule fcille,” D.  Empia attra 
picis compofitum,”’ L. nes dofe of the nutmeg and of the 
mace, is from eae 0 9 j; that of the volatile oil m ij 
to m vj. poffe fe qualities fimilar to thofe of the 
nutmegs, Sue is fefs hile ae and its oil is fuppofed to be 
more volatile and acrid. wis. oodville. Thomfon 
ITION, in n Phyl a Paes on common to all 
organifed bodies, in which their omponent tiffues 
convert nutritive matter ee fee own ° fubltane ce, and add it 
to the particles which previoufly entered into their compo. 
fition. 
materials of nutrition are prepared by feveral pre- 
fles ; by digeftion, in which the food is altered in 
its qualities, and reduced to a by aéb- 
which the nutritive part of the a 
tracted and conveyed se the blood ; ‘ i eaaeeh and re- 
alas in which this nutritive matter i pias 
blood. 
by the feries of es uit enumerated, and ren ade 
fimilar 
