peculiar mottled appearance and tends 
to destroy parasites which may be 
present. 
Mace loses its carmine color upon 
drying and becomes reddish-brown and 
very brittle. It has an odor and taste 
similar to those of the nut, but is more 
delicately aromatic. Wild or Bombay 
mace is obtained from Myristica fatua 
and is frequently used to adulterate the 
true mace or Banda mace. The nuts of 
M. fatua are longer than those of M. 
fragrans and are therefore designated 
as long mitmegs; the term "male nut- 
megs" applied to them is incorrect. 
The long nutmeg is greatly inferior to 
the true nutmeg, or round nutmeg as it 
is sometimes called. 
Banda supplies by far the most nut- 
megs at the present time. Penang nut- 
megs are of excellent quality and are 
always placed upon the market un- 
limed, but they are frequently limed 
subsequently in foreign ports and mar- 
kets. Singapore nutmegs are usually 
unlimed. Nutmegs are generally des- 
ignated by the name of the country 
from which they are obtained, as Dutch 
or Batavian, Sumatra, Penang, Singa- 
pore, Java, and Banda nutmegs. 
There are a number of so-called nut- 
megs which are derived from plants 
not even remotely related to Myristica. 
Ackawai, Camara, or Camaru nutmeg is 
the nut of a tree growing in Guiana 
highly valued as a cure for colic and 
dysentery. American, Jamaica, Mexi- 
can, or Calabash nutmeg is the spicy seed 
oi Monodora Myristica. Brazilian nutmeg 
is the seed of Cryptocarya mosckata, 
which serves as a very inferior substi- 
tute for nutmeg. California nutmeg is 
the fruit of a conifer ( Torre y a), which 
resembles nutmeg so closely in appear- 
ance that it has been supposed that 
Myristica fragrans was a native of Cali- 
fornia. This fruit has, however, a very 
camphoraceous odor. Clove or Mad- 
agascar nutmeg is the fruit of Raven- 
sara aromatica, a tree native in Mada- 
gascar. Peruvian nutmeg is the seed 
of Laurelia sempervirens. 
The nutmeg has a peculiar mottled 
appearance, ranging from grayish 
brown to light gray or white in the 
limed article, the depressions and 
grooves holding the lime while the 
ridges and elevations are free from it. 
In Shakespeare's Henry V. the Duke 
of Orleans, in speaking of the dauphin's 
dapple-gray horse, says: "He's of the 
color of nutmeg." The taste of nut- 
meg is peculiarly aromatic, pungent, 
and somewhat bitter. 
The principal use of nutmeg is that 
of a spice, although not so commonly 
employed or so well liked as some 
other spices. It contains a fat which 
forms the nutmeg butter; this is an 
unctuous solid substance of an orange- 
brown or yellowish-brown color, with 
the odor and taste of nutmeg. This 
fat is used as a stimulating application 
in rheumatism, sprains, and paralysis. 
Nutmegs also contain some volatile 
oil, which is said to be poisonous; at 
least some persons are very susceptible 
to the effects of the volatile oil of nut- 
meg. In this connection it might be 
stated that the frequent and long-con- 
tinued use of spices is injurious, pro- 
ducing dyspepsia, functional heart 
trouble, and nervousness, and seems to 
have a special action upon the liver, 
causing an excessive development of 
connective tissue and a reduction in 
the functional activity of the liver cells. 
" Nutmeg liver" is a condition resulting 
from passive venous congestion of that 
organ, and refers to its mottled or nut- 
meggy appearance only. 
Mace is comparatively rich in vola- 
tile oil. Nutmeg and mace are both 
extensively employed as condiments. 
They are frequently given in the form 
of a powder to stimulate and aid diges- 
tion. Nutmeg flavor consists of nutmeg, 
oil of nutmeg, and alcohol. Mace-ale is 
ale sweetened and spiced with mace. 
It is stated that whole nutmegs have 
been adulterated with wooden imita- 
tions. Connecticut is known as the 
Wooden Nutmeg State because it is 
facetiously said that such nutmegs were 
manufactured there. 
Description of plate: 
A, branch with staminate flowers; I, 
stamens magnified; 2, longitudinal view 
of stamens; 3, transverse section of 
stamens; 4, pollen-grains; 5, pistillate 
flower; 6, pistil; 7, fruit; 8, half of per- 
icarp removed; 9, nut with arillus 
(mace); 10. nut without mace; 11, nut 
in longitudinal section; 12, embryo. 
14') 
