Uses.--The essence (essential oil) and juice of the fruit are the parts
of the plant used in therapeutics. The essence extracted from the rind
is yellow, fragrant, slightly bitter; density, 0.856; boiling point
165°. The juice which is turbid and pale yellow in color contains 9%
citric acid, 3-5% gum and sugar and 2-8/10% inorganic salts. The
essence is used to flavor certain pharmaceutical preparations, and
is a diffusible stimulant which may be given internally in doses of
3-6 drops on a little sugar. The bitter rind is occasionally used in
infusion as a stomachic and stimulant. The juice is most commonly
used in lemonade, a cooling drink which, used intemperately in the
Philippines, is apt to cause gastro-intestinal trouble, so commonly
attributed to "irritation," but really the result of a general atony
of the digestive organs. Lemon juice is also used with very good
results as a local cleansing application for sore throat, as well as
externally on fetid ulcers. In some forms of malarial fever it seems
to have given satisfactory results, administered internally.
In many navies lemon juice forms a part of the sea ration as a
preventive of scurvy, upon which it exercises a real and noteworthy
action. The Danish navy adopted it for this purpose in 1770, the
English navy followed, then the French and possibly others. The English
call it lime-juice, and its preventive dose is 30-40 grams a day. Its
curative dose is 100-150 grams a day. To preserve the lime-juice it
was bottled with a layer of oil, which, floating on the surface kept it
from contact with the air; but this process gave it a bad taste as did
also the addition of sulphate of calcium, and at present the English
add, to each liter of juice, 60 grams of alcohol, which preserves it
perfectly. Fonssagrives says that the antiscorbutic action of lemon
juice is due rather to the vegetable juice itself than to the citric
acid which it contains.
Botanical Description.--A most familiar tree 11° or more high,
trunk with solitary thorns. Leaves ovate, obtuse, acute-toothed, the
petiole bearing serrate wings. Calyx 4-6-toothed. Corolla, 4 thick
petals. Filaments 10-25 on the receptacle, some joined and bearing
2-3 anthers. Fruit thin-skinned, globular, about 1' in diameter;
the rind adheres closely to the pulp.
(This fruit closely resembles, if it is not identical with the lime
fruit, _C. Limetta_, or _C. Bergamia_, Risso, though Gray states that
the leaf of the latter has a wingless petiole.--J. B. T.)
Habitat.--Common to all parts of the islands.
_Citrus Bigaradia_, Hook. f. (_C. vulgaris_, Risso; _C. aurantium_,
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Naranjas del país_, Sp.; _Kahel_, _Kahil_, Tag.; _Native
Orange_, Eng.
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