CHAP. VIII.
Of Cinnamon-water.
Cinnamon is a thin fine Bark, rolled up in a sort of little Pipes, from the thickness of a Goose-quill, to that of a Man’s Thumb, and sometimes more, and about two or three Feet long. Its Colour brownish, with a Mixture of red. It is of an extremely aromatic Smell, and of an acrid and pungent, but very agreeable Taste. It is the interior, or second Bark of a Tree that grows plentifully in Ceylon. The People who gather it take off the two Barks together, and immediately separating the outer one, which is rough, and has very little Fragrancy, they lay the other to dry in the Shade in an airy Place, where it rolls itself up into the Form wherein we see it.
The greatest Cheats in the Sale of Cinnamon, are the selling such as has already had its essential Oil distilled from it, and dried again, and the imposing Cassia Lignea in its Place. The first of these is discovered by the want of Pungency in the Cinnamon; the second by this, that the Cassia, when held a little Time in the Mouth, becomes mucilaginous, which the true Cinnamon never does, Cinnamon is a noble Drug, endued, with many capital Virtues; it strengthens the Viscera, assists Concoction, dispels Flatulencies, and is a pleasant Cardiac.
Recipe for one Gallon of simple Cinnamon-Water.
Take a Pound of the best Cinnamon grosly powdered, digest for twenty-four Hours, in two Gallons of Water; put the Whole into an Alembic, and draw over one Gallon with a pretty brisk Fire.
The Oil of Cinnamon, in which the specific Virtue of the Drug consists, is very ponderous, and therefore will not come over the Helm unless the Fire be pretty brisk, especially with a simple Water. It will therefore be in vain to attempt distilling simple Cinnamon-water by the Balneum Mariæ.