ndigestible food, or as a cordial addition
to negus: and medicinally for languid digestion, with giddiness and
flatulence, causing oppressed breathing. Its activity depends on the
volatile oil, contained in the proportion of six per cent. in the nut.
This when given at all largely is essentially narcotic. Four Nutmegs
have been known to completely paralyse all nervous sensibility, and
have produced a sort of wakeful unconsciousness for three entire
days, with loss of memory afterwards, and with more or less
paralysis until after eight days.

The Banda, or Nutmeg Islands in the Indian Ocean, are twelve in
number, and the strength of the Nutmeg in its season is said to
overcome birds of Paradise so that they fall helplessly intoxicated.

When taken to any excess, whether as a spice, or as a medicine, the
Nutmeg and its preparations are apt to cause giddiness, oppression
of the chest, stupor, and [394] delirium. A moderate dose of the
powdered Nutmeg is from five to twenty grains, but persons with a
tendency to apoplexy should abstain from any free use of this spice.
From two to six drops of the essential oil may be taken on sugar to
relieve flatulent oppression and dyspepsia, or from half to one
teaspoonful of the spirit of Nutmeg made by mixing one part of the
oil with forty parts of spirit of wine; this dose being had with one
or two tablespoonfuls of hot water, sweetened if desired.

A medicinal tincture is prepared (H.) from the kernel with spirit of
wine (not using the oil, nor the essence). This in small diluted doses
is highly useful for drowsiness connected with flatulent indigestion,
and a disposition to faintness: also for gout retrocedent to the
stomach. The dose is from five to ten drops with a spoonful of water
every half hour, or every hour until the symptoms are adequately
relieved. Against diarrhoea Nutmeg grated into warm water is very
helpful, and will prove an efficient substitute for opium in mild
cases. Externally the spirit of Nutmeg is a capital application to be
rubbed in for chronic rheumatism, and for paralysed limbs. The
"butter of Nutmegs," or their concrete oil, is used in making plasters
of a warming, and stimulating kind. A drink that was concocted by
our grandmothers was Nutmeg tea. One Nutmeg would make a pint
of this tea, two or three cupfuls of which would produce a sleep of
many hours' duration. The worthy old ladies were wont to carry a
silver grater and Nutmeg case suspended from t