Manna

THAT which we call and sell now by the Name of Manna, is a white crystalline Liquor that flows without Incision, and with the Incision that is made upon wild and domestick Ashes, which the Italians call Fraxini and Orni, that grow plentifully in Calabria, Sicily, but chiefly at Galliopoli, from whence almost all the Manna we now sell is brought.

We sell several Kinds by the Name of Calabrian Manna. The first and best Sort is the Manna of Mount St. Angelo, but that is difficult to be got, and very little demanded by People who do not understand it: The second is the Sicilian Manna, which is usually white, dry, and teary, but very subject to be full of Chesnut or Fig-leaves: The third Sort of Manna, is that which is improperly call'd Brianson Manna, which is dry'd from a white Matter that is decay'd and very apt to be full of Dirt.

The Arabians look'd upon Manna to be a Sort of airy Honey, or a Dew that falls from the Heavens: And this was a common received Opinion for many Ages; but Angelus Sala, and Bartholomaeus ab Urbe veteri two Franciscan Friars; who in 1545, publish'd Commentaries upon Mesve, were the first that I know of that in their Writings affirmed Manna to be truly the concreted Juice of the Ash-Tree, as well the common as of the wild, generally call'd Quickbean. Donatus Antonius ab alto mari, a Physician and Philosopher of Naples, who flourish'd about the Year 1685, has confirmed this Opinion by several Observations.

For first, having cover'd Ash-Trees for several Days and Nights together all over close with Sheets, so that no Dew cou'd possibly come at them; yet he has found Manna upon these Trees so cover'd, under the Sheets, when at the same Time not the least Sign or Impression of any Dew or Honey was to be seen upon the upper Part of the Sheets. 2dly, All those who make it their Business to gather Manna, freely own and confess that it drops out again of the same Places of the Trees, from whence it was before taken, and by degrees coagulates with the Heat of the Sun. 3dly, In the Trunks of the Ash-Trees, little Bladders or as it were Blisters are often observed, or rise near the Bark, which are fill'd with a Liquor of a white Colour, and sweet Taste, which afterwards thickening, is turn'd into a very good Sort of Manna. 4thly, The very same Liquor flows out of the Bark of the Ash when it is wounded: And it is very observable, that Grashoppers and other small Insects, very often bore through the Bark of this Tree, that they may suck this sweet Tear; and when they have left it, the Manna sweats out of the small Wounds that they have made. 5thly, Wild Ashes being cut down by Coopers on Purpose to make Hoops for Wine-Vessels, it often happens that no small Quantity of Manna flows out of their Stocks and Boughs, being cloven or split lengthways, and expos'd to the Heat of the Sun. 6thly, Such as are employ'd in the making of Charcoal, confidently assure us, That they have often observ'd Manna sweat out of the Ash-wood, after it has been kindled and thrown into the Fire.

The same Author further takes Notice that the same Trees yield Manna every Year, but not all of them indifferently; upon which Account there are a great many that make it their Business for the Sake of Gain, to bring up these Trees: Yet there are in these Places Trees of the same Kind, that afford no Manna. Moreover the same Author tells us, that the Manna runs chiefly out of that Part where the Footstalks of the Leaves are inserted into the Branches; for in these Parts the Vessels being thinner and finer, are the more easily divided; wherefore he does with very good Reason observe, that Manna never drops out of the Leaves of this Tree, unless it is at Noon, or about the hottest Time of the Day; because there is a large Degree of Heat required for the fetching of this Juice out of its proper Vessels, and conveying or translating it unto the distant Leaves. In the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily, Manna naturally flows and drops out of the Leaves of the aforesaid Trees under the Form of a clear Liquor, and afterwards thickens and becomes a little hard; but especially in the Month of June, when the Weather is very hot and dry; next Day with a Knife they scrape and pick it off the Leaves, lest it should be dissolv'd and wash'd away by the falling of Rains, or the Moistness and Dampness of Air; then they carefully put it up in Vessels, well glazed; and after that they expose it to the Heat of the Sun, till such Time as it will not stick, nor cleave any more to the Fingers; otherwise it wou'd melt and lose its whiteness.

Manna flows spontaneously from the 21st of June to the End of July, unless Rains happen to fall; after the Month of July, the Country People or Peasants make an Incision into the Bark of the Ash-Tree, even to the Wood; from whence the Liquor of Manna continues to flow and drop, from Noon time to six a-Clock in the Evening incessantly, which afterwards runs together into thick Lumps, or Clots, but of a darkish Colour. This spontaneous Manna, by the Italians is call'd Manna Di fronda, upon Account that it drops from the Leaves of the Ash-Tree, like sweat in the Dog Days or Heat of Summer. But that Sort of concreted Manna, that proceeds from the Bark of those Trees being wounded, is call'd by the Italians, Sporsatella and Stoisata, or Manna Dicorpa. This Opinion of Altomarus has been desended by Gropius, Labellius Caesalpinus, Costaeus, Cornelius Consentinus, Boccone, and others; who have given more Credit to their Eyes, than to Authority.

Manna is approv'd of, when it is sat and a little clear, of a sweet Taste like Sugar, which is biting to the Tongue. Chuse that which is fresh and light, from a white Colour inclining to be a little brown, and when the Clots or Lumps, being broken, look as if they were sprinkled with Syrup. That is to be rejected which is dry, and as it were spungy, without any manner of biting Taste; and that is good for nothing, that is nauseous, impure and adulterated.

The Calabrian Manna is esteem'd; but besides that, there is a Sort of it sold in the Shops, call'd the Larch or Brianson Manna; because it flows from Larch Trees growing nigh Brianson in Dauphiny, but little us'd because it is much inferior to the Neapolitan Manna. Calabrian Manna purges moderately, from one Ounce to two or three; it allays the Acrimony of the Humours, and is very useful in bilious Distempers, and others attended with Inflammations, such as the Haemorrhoides, Pleurisy and Peripneumony. It is seldom prescrib'd dry, or by itself, but very often in Potions, &c. As for Example: Take an Ounce or two of this Manna, and dissolve it in five or six Ounces of warm Water, Broth, Whey, or the like; to which you may add, if you please, an Ounce of Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb, of Roses purgative or Violets, for a Dose. When Patients are afflicted with vomiting or a Disposition to it, take of Calabrian Manna two or three Ounces, Tartar Emetick eight or ten Grains, dissolve them in a Quart of Whey, and let the Patient drink this by Cupfulls, now and then taking a little warm Broth betwixt.

Monsieur Charas and others likewise agree, that the true Manna is not found upon all Plants, Trees, Rocks, and Earths promiscuously as some believe, but only upon the ordinary Fraxinus or Ash-Tree, and upon the Ornus or wild Ash. That it is gather'd from the Ash or wild Ash is evident; for that upon some large Tears, the very print of the Leaf upon which they grow is to be seen, and oftentimes Ash-tree Leaves are found mix'd with it.

That which comes from the Body of the Ash, and issues voluntarily and freely, as also from the biggest Branches of the Tree, is the purest and fairest, and comes forth in a crystalline Liquor, beginning to distil in June, forming itself into Tears bigger, or lesser, as the Part of the Tree is more or less full of it; this is gather'd the next Day after it is distill'd forth, for in that Space of Time it hardens by little and little, and becomes white; this if it shou'd meet with Rain and Wet, will melt and come to nothing. They take the Bark from it with a thin pointed Knife, putting it into glazed earthen Pots or Pans, then spreading it upon white Paper, they expose it to the Sun, till it ceases to stick to the Fingers, left it should dissolve by Addition of any superfluous Moisture, and lose its Whiteness: This gathering continues about six Weeks.

In the next Place is that which is forced, which is drawn forth when the former Manna ceases to flow voluntarily: They wound the Bark of the Trunks to the Wood itself with sharp Instruments, and so from Noon till Evening you will see the Manna flow from those Wounds which is sometimes clotted together at the Bottom of the Tree, like little Sticks of Wax. This they gather the next Day after the wounding, and it is yellower than the former, and therefore not so much esteem'd, being apt to grow brown if kept any Time, yet nothing less Purgative.

Thirdly, there is Manna of the Leaf. This flows voluntarily from the Leaf or Leaves of the Ash like little Drops of Water, and appears in the Nature of a Sweat upon the nervous Part of the Leaf, during the Heat of the Day, and extends itself all over the Leaf; but the Drops are bigger at the Stalk, than at the End or Point of the Leaf, and harden and become white in the Sun as the former, being something larger than Grains of Wheat. In August the great Leaves of the Ash will be so loaden with these Drops, as if they were covered with Snow: This is as purgative as any of the rest.

Manna is an excellent purge for Children, and others that are of weak Constitutions, and abound with sharp Salt Humours; it is temperate, inclining to Heat, mollifies or softens the Throat and Wind-Pipe, opens Obstructions of the Breast, Lungs, and other Bowels, purges watry Humours, and keeps the Belly soluble; being an excellent Thing for such as are apt to be Costive. Hoffman says, it ought not to be given crude, but boiled in some proper Vehicles, not being less flatulent than Cassia, and therefore shou'd not be administer'd without Correctives; it is adulterated with Sugar Penids roll'd in Leaves of Herbs, as also mix'd with Sena, &c.

There is a Spirit of Manna made by Distillation in a Retort. Mr. Charas's Spirit of Manna is prepared thus: Put Manna into a Retort, filling it two Parts in three full, distil in Sand; first, with a gentle Fire, then increasing by Degrees; distil to Dryness, cohobate the Liquor and repeat the Distillation, so will you have a spirituous Water containing all the Best of the Manna, which is not only an excellent Sudorifick, but a wonderful Specifick against all Sorts of Agues or intermitting Fevers, giving it at the Beginning of the Fit; Dose from two Drams or more in Carduus Water. Schroder's Spirit of Manna is thus made: Dissolve Manna in May Dew, and cohobate till it sublimes to the Head of the Alembick like Snow; so the Mercury of the Manna being brought to the fluid Nature of a Spirit, becomes a Solutive for Minerals.