THE Raisins call'd the Damask are the flat ones of the Length and Thickness of one's Thumb End, which we have brought from Damascus the Capital of Syria, in Bags or Bales. Chuse the newest, largest, and best fed, and beware they are not Calabrian Raisins, or flat Jubes, and made up in Form of the Damask Raisins, as it happens but too often to several Grocers, who make no Difficulty to sell the one for the other; which nevertheless are easy to distinguish, because the Damask Raisins, are thick, large, fleshy, dry and firm, and are seldom without two Kernel Stones or Pepins; neither are they of such a faint disagreeable Taste as those of the Calabrian, which are of a fat, soft and sweet sugary Taste as well as the Jubes.
The Damask Raisins are much us'd in Pectoral Ptisans and Decoctions, and are frequently join'd with Jujubs, Sebestens and Dates; likewise in Syrup of Marsh-Mallows, in the healing Lohoch, Lenitive Electuary, Confection of Hamech, and in the Electuary of Fleawort. Raisins are nothing else but Grapes dip'd several Times in boiling Water, and dry'd in the Sun. Damask Raisins are most approv'd of; but we commonly use those that are prepar'd in Narbon in France, and out of which there is a strong Spirit extracted, or a good Sort of Brandy: They are endued with much the same Properties as Figs. Take Raisins of the Sun half a Pound, boil them in a sufficient Quantity of generous Wine, pulp them thro' a Hair-Sieve, and add two Ounces of Hyssop in Powder, of the cooling Species, or Powder of Pearls one Ounce, and make an Opiate to be taken to the Quantity of two Drams in an Asthma.