The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-30
STRAWBERRY CURE
For Rheumatism Is Certain, P. .easant
and Costs Little.

Strawberries. delicious enough for mil
honalre and cheap enough for a beggar,
appear on every table, and it is less
prontable than pleasant to eat them. For
straw berries are cure for rheumatism
II Is a Wen known tact that Llnllaels,
1he great naturalist, by eating an aDur-
dance Of Strawberries, cured himself Of
rheumatism 1t IS also well known fact
That strawberries have been considered an
excellent household remedy for rheumat-
ism for many years. Now an English
chemist comes forth and, analyzing straw
berries proves them to contain salicylic
acid-salicyltc acid, the remedy for acute
rheumatism, that physicians have been
prescribing generally since 1888.
The strawberry, from time immemOrlal.
has been considered remedy for rheum-
atlsm among the people of America and
England, but English and American ply
sicians have inclined to sneer at the cura-
tive properties of the fruit By scientists
the strawberries claims have been de-
spised-have been considered as on plane
with the claims of, say, sulphur and mo-
losses to purify the blood Of sage tea to
conquer colds, and of peppermint water to
relieve dyspepsia. Now. however, that
salicylic acid the great rheumatism spe-
it is necessary for the scientists, hanging
their heads. to admit that the people were
right in attributing medicinal properties TO
this pleasant fruit
Salicylic acid is not present IN strawber-
rles In large doses 1t would be impossible
to eat enough Strawberries to bring on
salicylic acid poisoning. BuE this beneii-
cent drug is in the fruit. working the more
powerfully maybe for its infinitesirnaI pro
by means of a. careful analysis.
The good qualities of salicylic acid are
manifold. Peria in 1898 discovered it and
since that time it has been prepared arti-
nclally on a very large scale. Either alone
or in the form Of its sodium salt ii is The
physicians S best remedy for acute rheuma-
tisrn 1t possesses very powerful anti
septic properties. Added in small quanti-
ties to fluids containing bacteria, it causes
these bacteria to cease prOpagatlng, and
added in larger quantities it kills the bac-
terra altogether. A little salicylic acid will
keep milk from souring. A weak solution
of it will prevent decomposition in skins
previous to their tanning. 1t will also
keep butter fresh and sweet for months in
the hottest weather.
Salicylic acid applied externally to warts
removes them Its crystals, powered and
inhaled like snuff. relieve hay fever In
headache and In several less common
disorders the remedy is used with good re-
suits by physicians
In many old almanacs and receipt books
stra awberry recipes for the cure of rheuma~
tism and gout are to be found. These
receipts urge the use of fresh fruit but
at the same time admit that preserved
stra Wberries are only a little less potent
than the fresh in medical properties The
following receipts are from The Guild
Hall Year book published in 1888.
ITO cure rheuma tism-Take fresh straw
berries. boil in water and store in arr
tight jars This is good in the winter.
In the season of Strawberries eat raw
for rheumatism and gout as many as You
can. and it is best to eat most in he
morning
"a pleasant drink for the rheumatic is
the compressed juice of the strawberry dl-
luted in two parts of water. Take a small
wine glass every hour Louis Globe
Democrat.