_Lemons._
SUCCUS—THE JUICE consists of _Citric acid_, mucilage, extractive matter,
and small portions of sugar and water. _Specific gravity_, 1·0384. It
may be preserved for a considerable length of time, by covering its
surface with fixed oil.
Its use in making saline draughts has been already noticed, see
_Acid. Citric._ Its principal medicinal value consists in its
antiscorbutic[549] virtues; indeed it may be fairly asserted that
this disease, so peculiarly incident to a sea life, has been nearly
eradicated by the juice of lemons. Sir Gilbert Blane, in speaking of
its efficacy, asserts that “those only who have made themselves
acquainted with the early part of the Naval history of this country,
or those who have perused the interesting, popular, and eloquent
narrative of Commodore Anson’s voyage, can duly appreciate the value
of this simple remedy.” Lemonade, as a beverage in putrid diseases,
was first introduced by the French physicians in the beginning of
the 17th century, and about the year 1660, an Italian from Florence,
having learnt a process of freezing confectionary, conceived the
happy idea of converting such beverage into ice. This found a ready
sale, and was the occasion of so great an increase in the number of
sellers of Lemonade, that in the year 1676, the _Lemonadiers_ of
Paris were formed into a company, and received a patent from the
government.
CORTEX—THE RIND OR PEEL is composed of two distinct parts; the exterior,
which contains glands, filled with a fragrant volatile oil, upon which
all its properties depend, and the _interior coat_, which is tasteless
and indigestible. The flavour may be obtained by rubbing lump sugar upon
it, which will imbibe the oil, and if it be then dried by a very gentle
heat, may be preserved unimpaired for any length of time, and will be
preferable to the volatile oil obtained by distillation, for the fire
generally imparts an unpleasant or empyreumatic flavour.[550]
It has been already stated, that “the different parts of the same plant
have frequently very different properties.” The Lemon offers a good
example of this fact, for its juice is _acid_, its seeds _bitter_, and
its peel _aromatic_.