Transactions of the Royal Medico-Botanical Society of London / edited by W. H. Judd.

Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Transactions of the Royal Medico-Botanical Society of London / edited by W. H. Judd. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    barks, woods, and roots which we employ for dyspeptic states, and for all that host of morbid affections which depend upon disordered function of the stomach and intestines, ever constipate or interfere with the healthy function of the liver; on the con- trary, it corrects the secretion of bile, and gently operates on the bowels. February Wth. Mr. Burnett, the Professor of Botany, delivered a lecture on the Patent British Leaf, or Tea. Che- mical analysis had so entirely failed in pointing out the difference between the China tea, and what is called British leaf, that the aid of the botanist had been required. Of the specimens submitted to his inspection, he found by far the larger portion so completely broken, that it was extremely difficult to as- certain what leaf had been employed. He was, however, enabled to state decidedly, that a large portion of the spurious tea was composed principally of the leaves of the elm and sloe, next of those of the willow and apple, the maple and hawthorn being very little used, while the leaves of the cherry, rose, and poplar were scarcely to be discovered. He had tried an infusion of this composition mixed with the genuine tea, and was of opinion, that the difference was very dis- coverable, as it was nauseous and very unpleasant; but he did not consider it injurious to the health. Much stress had been laid on the Prussic acid which it was supposed to contain; but he observed that this was in too small a quantity to prove deleterious. It was rather singular that of all the gentlemen who had spoken in favour of the composition, only Dr. Bh'kbeck had actually tried its powers, and he had employed it for a week, but the others had merely tasted it. The revenue derived from the consumption of tea was four millions annually; and as one-fourth of this mixture was added to adulterate good tea, government would lose one million annually, without any advantage to the public, who would in fact be defrauded of two shillings in every pound of tea they purchased. February 26th. Dr. Ryan, the Professor of Materia Medica, B 2
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