The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-12
CURE FOR RHEUMATIsM.
Scientists Are Finding Out What Old
Women Learned Long Ago
-. Lnuis Globe- Democrat)

w omen ANalnFu Lung ARO-
(St. Louis Globe Democracy
Strawberries, delicious enough for
millionaire and cheap enough for
beggar, appear on every table, and it is
no less profitable than pleasant to eat
them. For Strawberries are a cure for
rheumatism.
1t is a well known fact that Lin
uaeus, the great naturalist, by eating
an abundance OF strawberries, cured
himself of rheumatism. 1t is also a
well known fact that Strawberries have
been considered an excellent house
hold remedy for rheumatism for many
years. Now an English chemist comes
forth and. Analysing strawberries,
proves them to contain salicylic acid
Balicylic acid. the remedy for acute
rheumatism that physicians have been
prescribing generally since 1888. On
this head the Lancet, the noted English
medical paper, says in a recent issue:
THE strawberry season is at hand,
md the delicious fruit is not without
It's advocates as to its advantage in
rheumatism. Indeed, some have gone
he length 10 state that strawberries
may not only be taken with impunity
by the rheumatic and equity, but even
With distinct advantage 1t is a some
that in the strawberry the presence of
Ealicylic acid. which is. Of course, a
specific 81 acute rheumatism, has been
definitely established"
The strawberry. from time immemO-
rial, has been considered a remedy for
rheumatism among the people of
America and England, but English and
American physicians have inclined to
Bneer at the curative properties of the
fruit. BY scientists the strawberry's
claims have been despised-have been
considered as on a plane with the
claims of, say. sulphur and mOlasses
10 purify the blood, of sage tea 70 con-
uuer colds and of peppermint water to
relieve dyspepsia. Now, however, that
salicylic acid. the great rheumatism
specific has been found in the straw
berry, il is necessary for the scientists,
hanging their heads, to admit that the
people were right in attributing medic
lnal properties to this pleasant fruit.
Linnaeus, the naturalist, cured him
self OF rheumatism with strawberries
$50 years ago. His cure, being widely
discussed, made the strawberry popu-
lar as a medicine among rheumatic
people. Even before that time, though,
It's popularity had been pretty well es-
tablished. Carpenter says Of the cure
Of Linnaeus:
Our great naturalist had now con-
tracted an acute rheumatism. similar,
In the pOignancy of its pains, to the
govt His way of life rendered some
such disorder inevitable, for he neg
iected every rule of health i'm his indie
fatigable and continuous study of ma
ture. So poor was he that he must
often depend on charity for bed and
board. Housed wretchedly. trapping
In,
clothes day and night, he found him
self. finally. a prey to rheumatism in
its acut1st form.
He had heard many a housewife
claim that the strawberry's acid juices
were cure for rheumatism, and he
now decided that he would give this
cure a trial. The season being mid
summer. the fruit was plentiful. and
plentifully Linnaeus ate of it. He con-
stunned Strawberries morning. noon and
night. His breakfast was composed of
strawberries exclusively. and at dinner
and supper they formed the chief part
of the repast. A plate Of them. fur
thermore, lay always by his bedside,
r--- every little while he would reach
over and swallow two or three. From
the beginning the strawberry treat
ment benefited Linaeus; in due course
il cured him completely. 1t is true
that, during his life thereafter he
would now and then suffer some slight
rheumatic twinges, but he found these
always to yield readily to the straw
berry"
Salicylic acid is not present in straw
berries IN large doses. It would be
impossible 10 eat enough strawberries
to bring on salicylic acid poisoning.
But this benefcent drug is in the fruit
working the more powerfully, maybe,