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Show ee “de = =~ rt 56 SUGAR-CANE: SUGAR-CANE. breast, sugar, in various mixtures and vehicles, makes the chief portion, essentially, of their support. <¢ Sugar affords great nourishment, without oppressing their tender powers ofdigestion. ‘Ihe nutritive principle of their natural food is thus happilyimitated. was hurried along the garden-walk, when the weather was fine, which brought on expectoration and retching; when the oppression from his lungs was removed by these operations, he was put into his bed again, and had a tea-cupful of milk-warm mutton broth given him; this excited a gentle perspiration, and pleasant sleep. He was allowed calves’ feet, chicken, fish, and a glass or two of Port wine. This was James’s practice. The patient thought himself benefited by it. He was at this time so reduced that he kept his bed upwards of two months, not being able to stand, nor even to sit upright in a chair, without sup- ‘¢ Sugar does not create worms in children, as has been often said; on the contrary, it destroys worms. Some writers have a A an) < mentioned this* ; but my authority is my own observation. Jo 2) a a / (0; ‘« In the West Indies; the negro children, from crude vegetable diet, are much afilicted with worms. ‘In crop-time, when the canes are ripe, these children are always sucking them. Give a negro infant a piece of Sugar-cane to suck, and the impoverished milk of his motheris tasteless to him. This salubrious luxury soon changes his appearance. Worms are discharged5 his enlarged belly and joints diminish; his emaciated limbs increase; and, if canes were always ripe, he would never be dise eased, “*T have often seenold, scabby, wasted negroes crawl from the hot-houses, apparently half dead, in crop-time ; and by sucking canes all day long, they have soon become strong, fat, and sleaky. “* Therestorative power of sugar in wasted and decayed hahits, is recorded by several physicians in different parts of the world. I have known manypeople far advanced in pulmonary consumption, recovered bythe juice of the Sugar-cane. Ge A friend of mine, a clergyman in Shropshire, has favoured me with a veryinteresting account of a cure performed bythe use of sugar, in sucha diseasedstate of the lun gs as is generally 2 denominated a complete consumption. “* Thecaseis curious ; and I shall recite as much of it as is necessary to the fact. Thepatient is a gentleman, and a neighs 01 of myfriend. He hadbeenat bour tended by two eminent phys sicians, who had givenup ‘the case'as incur able. He then’ applied to the late doctor James, who order ed one paper of his powder to be divided into eight parts, and one part to be taken every other night, diluting with Strong gree n tea After being a week underthis treatment, he was taken out of ‘his bed every morning between nine and ten ten o’clock o’clock., ;and, supported by two persons, Eee * Act. Med. Leip. anno 1700. 57 port; his cough was violent, with bloodypurulentspitting, fever, and profuse and sudden night sweats. He was then twenty-six years of age, ‘¢ His disorder originated from sleeping with his bed-room windowopen, in the month of June 17705 and increased to an alarming degree by the month of August; and in March 1771 the above physicians gave over all hopes of his recovery. These things premised, I shall give the gentleman’s own words, in answer to some particulars stated to him, by my desire. '% ¢J did not take to the use of sugar until I was reduced to so weak a condition as to be unable to take anything else. Sugar was never prescribed for me by anyphysician ; but being very thirsty, from the fever, I had a great inclination for spring water, which I was not permiited to have, by the affectionate relative who nursed me, without some muscovado sugar, little ginger, and a piece of toasted bread in it. I soon becameextremely fond of the saccharine taste, and used to sweeten the water to excess. I did not take it as a medicine, norconfine myself to any specific quantity, but always used it when my appetite or inclination seemed to require it. However, I at length used it in a considerable quantity ; some days, to the amount, I believe, of eight ounces ; and that, with the small portion of toasted bread put into my drink, was the principal part of my sustenance during the greater part of twelve years; nor did it cease to be so until my stomach became strong, and capable of bearing animal food.’ ‘* He continued in good health from thepreceding period until the month of April 1793, when, in consequenceof a neglected cold, he had areturnof all his former dangerous symptoms ; but, by recurring to his old regimen, he was again restored to health, |