How was nutmeg taken medicinally?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
December 1, 2003
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Nutmeg became an easily available spice in Europe after 1511 when the Portuguese "discovered" the Spice Islands, the Moluccas. The exotic flavors of spices had a tremendous impact on the European economy. Spices were pretentious items--the wealthy would host extravagant heavily spiced banquets.
When John Gerard wrote The Herbal in 1597, he knew of two nutmegs--the Nux Muscata rotunda, sive foemina and the Nux Myristica oblonga, sive mas--the round female nutmeg and the longish male nutmeg. These nutmegs are today, Myristica fragrans Houttuyn and Myristica argentea Warburg.
Gerard repeated a use dating to ancient Indian times and apparently recommended by Ibn Sina (Avicenna) in the 10th and 11th centuries. "Nutmegs cause a sweet breath, and amend those that do stink, if they be much chewed and holden in the mouth." Considering that oral hygiene was not a big priority, any spice probably helped.
Illness was thought an imbalance of four vapors or "humors"--hot, cold, dry, and wet. Foods and medicinals were classified to balance those causes. Nutmeg was considered hot and dry, and balanced diseases of cold and wet causes. Abdominal griping (cramps), diarrhea, and flatulence were cold, wet, and windy disorders.
Gerard stated, "Nutmeg is good against freckles in the face, quickneth the sight, strengthens the belly and feeble liver; it takes away the swelling in the spleene, stayeth the laske (diarrhea), breaketh winde, and is good against all cold diseases in the body."
His nutmeg remedies included alcohol. "Nutmegs...in Aqua vitae (brandy)...adding...Rhodomel (honey of Roses)...being strained to the forme of a syrrup, cure all paines proceeding of windie and cold causes....The same...in strong white wine...cureth all gripings of the belly proceeding of windinesse." He recommended this course along with fasting for "certaine dayes together". Alcohol and fasting, perhaps after "certaine dayes", the patient simply was no longer concerned about "windinesse".
Erowid's Image Vaults, has great photographs of the flower, developing fruit, seeds with mace, and the nutmegs. To view the photographs, click on the link:
http://www.erowid.org/plants/nutmeg/nutmeg_images.shtml
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
What is a nutmeg? Weird Plants - November 27, 2003
What was nutmeg worth? Plants that Changed History - November 25, 2003
What is a nutmegger? What's in a Name? - November 28, 2003
How did the Dutch control the Spice Islands? Plants that Changed History - January 13, 2004
Why did ladies use lavender water? Herbal Folklore - March 24, 2003
Why no seedlings in three centuries? Renfield's Garden - January 1, 2003
How are cloves used in dentistry? Plants that Changed History - March 11, 2003
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Leather handbag, 'Orange Spice'
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Aragonite jewelry set, 'Nutmeg Spice'
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