The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-29
BEATS DR.. BR0NN-SEQUAnD.
WINE OF TIE PALMETTO MAKES
THE OLD YOUNG.
Palmetto Crop Some Day Will be Worth
Millions. w. Wellington Tells of
the Uses of the .plant-Frcm Root to
Blossom it is of Value to Humanity.
(Florida Times Union. }

quarts of berries have been brought to
Jacksonville and put up into one form
or another, while hundreds of colorcd
women and children have been given
profitable employment in the gathering
of the crop. The palmetto is won6 err
full plant. There is no part of it that has
not fits use. Tannin is in the root, Der
in the leaf and medicine in the fruit
Florida is covered with palmetto from
one end to the other, and some years
hence, when the full value of the plant is
known to the world, a demand will be
created for its products that will bring
millions to this State.
Probably the best posted man in Jack
sonville on the merits of the saw palmet-
to is j. w. Wellington, who manufac-
lures wine and tonics from the berries
Mr.. Wellington says:
"This plant, common to the southern
United States and Mexico, is especially
vigorous along the shores OF the Indian
river and on the borders of streams and
inland lakes of Florida The botanical
name is variously given as Sabal Serua-
ta; the generic name Sabal is the most
known and probably is the best. There
seems to be several distinct varieties
which are different in manner of growth,
form Of trunk leaf, drupc and seed, the
fruit OF which is gathered indiscriminate-
ly and used in medicine. The palmetto
and its congenors are among the most
useful plants known, and their products
have IL mercantile value equailed by few
THE entire plant makes an excellent
fertiliAer-equal, if not superior, to any
of the commercial kinds sold. From the
root ana trunk of the saw palmetto can
be gotten a gum which is excellent glue
starch, tannin, alkali, Il stomachic and an
astringent From the spathe (the unde-
veloped flower stalk palm wine can be
obtained, the distillate making arrack
From the flowers the bees collect large
quantity of excellent honey.
sit is, however, from the drupe that
important preparations have been made
of late years which are in demand on ac-
count of their curative value. Though
the plant has been known for long time,
1t is, comparatively, but recently that it
has had an acknowledged therapeutcal
value. The drupe Commonly called the
berry, contains sugar, glucose, gum,
starch, Il saline matter, rosin, potash, Il
colorng matter, Il volatile oil and fixed
Oil, and has many uses. Good beer can
be made from the ripe drupes, which is Il
stimulant to the stomach and exhilara-
ting to the nerves-the distillate of this
beer is excellent brandy. The Sugar and
glucose make syrup which is very sweet,
and does not readily granulate or fer
ment The ashes of the seed can be used
as il substitute for salt. The seeds burn
readily and can be used as IA substitute
for coffee, which, in odor mt least, it
strongly resembles. The volatile oil has
Il powerful effect on the brain and nerves,
producing dizziness when one is exposed
to the direct fumes; the fixed oils has
curative value etfecting the mucous mem.
In f,f 1,n fira 1oI,
and gum are very fattening, will increase
the flow of milk and have been used as n
substitute for cod liver oil in. consump-
ton. An acquired taste is formed for the
ripe berries, which are tonic and fattcn-
ing. They taste at first sweetsh, followed
by an astringent feeling. This is super
seeded by smoothness extending from
nose to throat, relieving catarrh and bron
chts. Persons who drink the beer or eat
many of the seeds are relieved of mental
depression and insomnia; their appetite
is increased and they have .'iucreas ed vi
tality.
at IS not generally known, even by
pharmaceutical chemists that there are
several varities of saw palmetto and very
few who have noticed this difference in
specie.
1.-The decoctions, tnctures and fluid eX-
hystriX and sabal palmctto) all have pro
phylactic and therapeutic value, and will
be of immense consequence when sufl
cient knowledge is had of the different
varieties. methods of extracting the vir-
tues, and the best form for exhibition
AS a tonic and nerve food nothing better
has been found than tinct. sabal serulata:
but so varied has been the manner of
preparation and the results of use so pc
culiar that few practitioners are willing
to make positive statements regarding
the efficiency of the drug. Preparations
are on the market as fluid extracts (satu-
rated tinctures) and compounds having
silbal for Il base.
The literature relating to this drug is
very limited. and confined to disultory
artiC les written for the medical journals,
nearly all within the last half OF the pres
ent century, and most Of the knowledge
OF the merits and usefulness have been
discovered and published within the last
twenty-five years. DIR. Reed of Savannah.
recommended the trial of preparations
from the drupcs giving Il detailed method
for the manufacturer. advising the use in
catarrh and rs il Substitute for cod liver
oil III consumption, upon which many
medical men have acted with excellent re-
suits. More and stronger articles have
been written iii California and by practi-
TONERS of the northern States, ard which:
are better adapted TO medical journal
than II family newspaper. Nearly every
writer Claims regeneration from con-
tinued use by aged people, and that a very
small amount of the fluid extract will
cure nervous prostration. twas noticed
by the Indians and early settlers that
when palmetto berries were ripe the wild
animals would leave their range and
travel miles to reach those places where
the fruit was plentiful, and that they
t.,o,x. rnr,. cot aud ncti,.n 4 min IL .,..,.