Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-04-24
Experience of l.. T.. Langstroth in
the Use of Honey to euro
His Wife.


erations determined me to make
a trial Of the curative powers Of
pure honey;
/. / had noticed that from the
time Of Hippocrates, who wrote
more than 2,0O0 years ago, even
down to modern writer's, there
was a strong and continuous tes-
timony in favor Of the virtues Of
honey in curing or alternating
all diseases of the breathing or
gans. Charley Butler a very
learned and accurate writer, i'll
his "IIistory of Bees" published
in 1884, asserts that it breedeth
good blood, stilTeth up natural
heat, and prolongs life;" refelT-
ing largely to the ancients for
his proofs.
Now, what logicians call COM
Dau,liS cOnsedsuS humdni generiS,
''the common agreement Of the
human race" on any matter fair
ly within the range Of their OBJ
servation, has always been con-
sidered as coming very near to
demonstration itself.
2. About the same time [ re-
ceived from the late DIR. Il. j.
Kirkland Of Cleveland, Ohio
the mention Of whose name will
inspire in wide circle deep.
feeling Of reverential considera-
tion-a letter informing me that
one Of his pupils had discovered
that honey mixed with some 9TH
er ingredients (honey, however,
being the main thing) was a
much better thing in consump-
ton than cod liver oil.
3. Nearly at the same time ]
received a printed statement Of
the various exhibits Of bees, hon
ey, hives, etc, made at the Lon
don Worlds Fair. The name
Of the Countess Ogla, Of Russia,
was given as exhibiting some
linden or Eastwood honey-"ole-
aginous honey" so called-~ith
the statement that this kind of
honey is in some parts Of Rus
STA and Persia in higher repute
for curing consumption than cod
liver Gil. Linden honey having
a decided balsamic odor, as well
as an oily nature, may possess
some peculiar curative virtues.
4. The bee is almost the only
insect known to possess animal
heat. To survive the winter, it
must live in a colony state; for
in no other way can it generate
and preserve the requisite tenn
perature. This heat, Of course,
comes from its food. To sup
pose that the Creator has not
made this food especially heat
producing, would be like suppo-
sing that a good engineer who
wants to get up most economi-
cally given amount Of steam,
would prefer to use soggy wood
or slaty coal. We need hardly
say, therefore, that chemistry
confirms the old belief, that hon
ely is a specially heat producing
food.
5. Consumption is derived from
the Latin word c0nSumere, to
waste, to burn up. The system
Of a consumptive person is in
such a diseased state that it fails
to obtain from the food taken
sufficient nutriment and heat.
1t seeks, therefore, to make up
the deficiency by preying upon
the fatty tissues. When the
body becomes so cmaciated that
this can no longer be done, the
patient dies, Just as the fire goes
out when the fuel is all consum-
ed. To prevent the diseased
system from thus consuming it.
self, physicians have recommend
ed cod liver oil and other heat
producing substances. But if
honey "breedeth good blood and
greatly stirreth animal heat"
may it not prove one of the most
potent and pleasant remedies for
consumption ? \ very aged
man once being asked by Alex
andcr how he had secured such
a vigorous old age, replied: "By
honey within and oil Without
that is, by eating honey and
amounting himself with oil.
Having duly weighed all the .
above considerations, / gained
the consent of my wife to make
a faithful trial Of honey. 1t oc- 1
cured to me that its efficiency
could much better be tested by ;
using it in small quantities and
at very frequent intervals, than {
in any other way. If one wish {
es to keep up a uniform temper |
allure in a room, by the use Of a
given amount of fuel, it cannot
be done by using a large amount
at once, with all the hampers O. {
pen; but by gaining complete 4
control over the combustion, so ,
that the heat can be regularly i
supplied. This idea OF small {
but oft repeated doses is new, / /
think, and very important. If ;
we should "eat honey because it 1