924 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
this is indeed a drink for a prince. You must tell me the 
secret of its confection. 
“ S. That you shall know presently; but say, is it not 
an excellent draught for a thirsty and somewhat wearied 
man ? 
“ J. Not only meat and drink, but clothes, lodging, and 
washing to boot, as Paddy has it. Most cool and delicious. 
But I long to know the secret of its brewing, for mine hostess 
was very quick in preparing it. 
“ S. It is made thus:—Take two glasses of sherry, two 
table-spoonfuls of moist sugar, a quarter of a nutmeg, and a 
sprinkle of ginger ;* fill up with a pint of mild ale over a 
piece of well baked (but not burnt) toast. These are the 
proportions; and if you will make it with a quart of ale, you, 
of course, double the quantity of wine, &c. Any wine will 
answer the purpose, but if of two kinds the better. It 
should stand a quarter of an hour before it is drunk, that the 
flavour of the sop may be duly imparted to it.” 
Let us hope that our veterinary friends will favour this 
use of these spices, although they do not employ them in 
their remedial practice, or, at least, they find no place in the 
* Veterinary Pharmacopoeia. 5 Both these spices are em¬ 
ployed considerably in the human school principally as 
aromatics. A notable example will be found in the fine 
cordial known as Confectio aromatica. It is said to be nar¬ 
cotic in larger doses, and thus Pereira says, In mild cases 
of diarrhoea I have frequently employed nutmeg as a substi¬ 
tute for opium. It may be taken in warm brandy-and- 
water, unless the use of spirit be contraindicated.” 
These spices and wine, then, may properly p e taken for 
(( one's stomach’s sake, and one’s oft infirmities.” Por 
whether used as a condiment, or as a medicine, they may aid 
the digestive process, while imparting an agreeable flavour. 
The Memispermacece , like the former, are remarkable for 
the possession of active properties. Thus, in the seeds of the 
well-known Cocculus indicus, we have a dangerous poison, 
the effects of which upon fish are well known and acted upon 
—a scoundrelly act of poaching. 
The Cocculus palmatus affords the Calumba root, which, 
as stated by Dr. Lindley, in the e Flora Medica, 5 “ is a valu¬ 
able and excellent tonic, having aromatic qualities, but muci¬ 
laginous, and not acting as a stimulant. It has the power 
of checking sympathetic vomiting in female pregnancy, dis¬ 
eases of the kidney, &c. It is also used with advantage in 
* We prefer the addition of a small quantity of mace.—J. B, 
