CHAP. X.Of Aqua Mirabilis; or, the Wonderful-Water.
Mostof the Ingredients in this Composition have already been described, and an Account of the Nutmegs will be given in Chap. xxv. But the Cubebs and Ginger remain to be mentioned.
Cubebs are small dried Fruit resembling a Pepper-corn, but often somewhat longer; of a dark brown Colour, composed of a wrinkled external Bark; of an aromatic, tho’ not very strong Smell, and of an acrid and pungent Taste, tho’ less so than Pepper; but its Acrimony continues long on the Tongue, and draws forth a large Quantity of Saliva. We have two Kinds of Cubebs, which differ only in their Periods of gathering, both are produced from the same Plant. The unripe Cubebs are small, very wrinkled on the Surface, and their Nucleus, when broken, is flacid: But the ripe ones not so. Cubebs are brought from the IslandJava, where they grow in great Abundance. They should be chosen large, fresh, and sound, and the heaviest possible. They are warm and carminative, and esteemed good in Vertigoes, Palsies, and Disorders of the Stomach.
Ginger is a Root too well known to need a long Description; it is sufficient to observe that it is of a pale yellowish Colour when broken, of a fibrous Structure, and easily beat into a Sort of woolly or long thready Matter. It is of very hot, acrid, and very pungent Taste; but Aromatic withal, and of a very agreeable Smell. We have it both from theEastandWest Indies; but the oriental is much superior to the occidental in its Flavour, of a firmer Substance, and does not beat out so much into Threads. Ginger is an excellent Carminative and Stomachic; it assists Digestion, dispells Flatus’s, and takes off Cholic Pains almost instantaneously.
There are several Receipts for making this celebrated Cordial; but the following are allowed to be the best.
Take of Cinnamon one Pound and a Quarter, Rind of Lemon-peels ten Ounces, Cubebs one Ounce and a Quarter, Leaves of Baum one Pound; bruise all these Ingredients, and pour on them eleven Gallons of clean Proof Spirit, and one Gallon of Water; digest the whole twenty-four Hours, and distil off ten Gallons with apretty brisk Fire; and dulcify it with fine Sugar.
Or,
Take of the lesser Cardamoms, Cloves, Cubebs, Galangal, Mace, Nutmeg, and Ginger, of each one Pound and three Quarters, of the yellow part of Citron-peel and Cinnamon of each three Pounds and a Half, of the Leaves of Balm one Pound; bruise these Ingredients, and pour on them eleven Gallons of Spirit and one Gallon of Water; digest, and draw off,&c.as before.
This Cordial has been long celebrated as a noble Stomachic, and therefore greatly called for.
Some instead of all the Ingredients enumerated in the above Receipts use only Pimento; and this is the sort of Aqua Mirabilis which some sell so very cheap.