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do partly by their cooling quality and by stimulating
the mucous excretions of the mouth [fauces] & stomach.
They excite the secretions & keep open the bowels, but they
are not nutritious in a great Degree. In cases of
dyspepsia & Gout they are to be avoided. I have seen
gout and spasm of the stomach & bowels take place
from their use—this effect is to be explained by the
quantity of acid in the stomach. Besides the
quantity of acid what is in the fruit itself, the
stomach generates much acid. The pulp of these
fruits is very indigestible. Even water melon is
very indigestable in some instances, & I have
seen it vomitted up 3 or 4 days after it was taken
into the stomach and very little changed
flatulency remitting purging—cholic &c follow
the use of these if unripe.—The juice of the orange
is easy of digestion, but the pulp is very difficult.
This observation is applicable to the water-melon
pine apple, lemon etc among my patients I