420 
The  Vanilla. 
<  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I     Sep.  1, 1874. 
annual  import  of  vanilla  amounts  to  about  five  or  six  cwts. ;  its  price 
varies  very  greatly,  being  sometimes  as  high  as  125s.  per  pound,  and  at 
other  times  as  low  as  26s. 
The  chief  use  of  the  vanilla  is  in  flavoring  perfumery  and  confec- 
tionery, and  especially  chocolate.  One  pod  is  sufficient  to  flavor  a 
pound  and  a  half  of  chocolate,  being  ground  with  sugar  for  that 
purpose.  The  fragrance  is  said  to  act  upon  the  system  as  an  aromatic 
stimulant,  exhilarating  the  mind  and  increasing  the  energy  of  the 
animal  system.  It  is  occasionally  employed  on  the  Continent  in  cases 
of  hysteria  ;  and  is  used  by  the  Spanish  physicians  in  America  as  an 
antidote  to  poison  and  to  the  bite  of  venomous  animals,  as  well  as  in 
other  cases.  A  liquid  used  in  Peru,  where  it  is  known  as  Baume  de 
vanille,  exudes  from  the  open  pods  at  perfect  maturity.  The  fruits 
in  time  become  covered  with  an  efflorescence  of  fine  needle-like  crystals 
which  possess  properties  similar  to  those  of  benzoic  acid ;  when 
viewed  through  a  microscope,  with  polarized  light,  they  are  very 
beautiful  objects. 
De  Menonville,  who  traveled  to  Guaxaca  in  1777,  thus  describes 
his  discovery  of  vanilla  in  that  district.  After  various  hindrances 
and  disappointments  he  says  :  "  At  length  an  Indian  with  a  hoe  in 
his  hand,  made  his  appearance.  *  Brother,'  said  I,  holding  out  a 
dollar,  4  show  me  some  vanilla  and  this  is  yours.'  He  coolly  bade  me 
follow  him,  and  advancing  a  few  steps  through  the  underwood  into  a 
thicket,  in  which  were  a  number  of  trees,  he  immediately  climbed  up 
one,  threw  down  to  me  two  pods  of  vanilla  perfectly  ripe,  and  pointed 
out  to  me  a  branch  on  which  several  others  were  hanging,  yet  green, 
together  with  two  faded  flowers.  The  form  of  the  leaves,  the  fruit, 
the  peculiar  smell  of  the  plant — ererything  convinced  me  that  it  was 
the  real  vanilla,  in  everything  corresponding  with  such  as  I  had  seen 
at  Vera  Cruz.  All  the  trees  of  this  little  copse  were  covered  with  it. 
I  saw  a  quantity  of  green  fruit,  but  collected  no  more  than  six 
specimens  of  these,  and  four  large  pods  which  were  ripe.  I  caused 
the  Indian  afterwards  to  part  from  the  roots  some  of  the  scions  which 
had  sprung  up.  These  I  tied  well  together,  wrapping  up  the  whole 
in  the  leaves  of  an  Arum,  which  at  their  base  are  three  feet  wide. 
After  thus  packing  a  faggot,  which  weighed  upwards  of  30  lb.,  I 
placed  it  in  my  large  sack,  which  I  fastened  on  my  horse.  I  was  so 
well  satisfied  with  my  Indian,  that,  besides  what  I  promised  him,  I 
gave  him  two  reals  in  addition.    For  his  part,  unwilling  to  be  outdone 
