TAmarinds are sharp, acrid Fruit, which are brought from the Levant, sometimes in Bunches, but more commonly freed from their Stalks. The Tree which bears them has very small Leaves; after which come white Flowers, almost like Orange-Flowers, from whence arise Husks that are green at first, and grow brown as they ripen; when the Inhabitants of those Parts gather them in Clusters, they dry them a little before they are sent hither.
Chuse your Tamarinds fat or oily, fresh, of a Jet black, and a sharp pleasant Taste, which have not been laid in a Cellar, which may be known by their too great Moisture, and their Smell of the Vault; besides their Kernels, that are blown up. Avoid such as are adulterated with Molosses, Sugar, and Vinegar. They are much us'd in Medicine, because of their cooling purgative Quality.
There grow a great many Tamarind Trees at Senega, where the Negroes make the Fruit into Cakes, after they have stoned them, and freed them from their little Stalks, which they make frequent use of to quench their Thirst. These Tamarind Cakes are very scarce in France. They cleanse Tamarinds like Cassia, and with Sugar make a Confection of it, which is not unpleasant.
Tamarindi, or Oxyphaenica, is a Fruit about the Length of one's Finger, as broad and thick as the Thumb, cover'd with a green Bark at the Beginning, but that grows brown as it ripens, and is so tender that it easily falls off, or separates. The Fruit affords a black, fourish, or sharp Pulp that is grateful to the Taste, and that hangs by long Fibres, or woody Strings, form'd in the Nature of a Bunch. They take this Pulp from the Seeds or Pepins, as they do that of Cassia or Lupins.
The Tree which bears the Tamarinds is call'd Tamarindus by Gerard, Parkinson, Baubinus and Ray; or Siliqua Arabica, quoe Tamarindus, the Arabian Date, which is the Tamarind, or Balam Pulli, seu Mederam Pulli. It is as big as an Ash or Cherry-Tree. The Trunk is large, cover'd with a thick ash-colour'd Bark. The Wood is hard, the Branches furnish'd with a great many Leaves, like those of the Female Fern, long as one's Hand, compos'd of several small Leaves, rang'd on the Side, hard, nervous, or stringy, green, of a pleasant Taste. The Flowers springing from Wings of Leaves join'd eight or ten together like those of the Orange-Flower, white-colour'd, sometimes strip'd with red Veins. The Roots are long, large, and red. This Tree grows in several Parts of India, as Cambaya, Senega, &c. The Leaves are proper for quenching Thirst, and cooling in burning Fevers, being taken in Decoction.
The Indians separate the Tamarinds from the Bark and the Bunch, after having dry'd them a little, as we have them now frequently amongst us, hanging one to another. Chuse the newest, that are hard as Paste, pulpy, black, of a sharpish grateful Taste, and vinous Smell. They yield a good deal of acid Salt, Oil and Flegm; are detersive, gently laxative and astringent. They allay, by their Sharpness, the too great Motion of the Humours, abate feverish Heat, cool, and quench Thirst. They are given in continual Fevers and Looseness, being taken in Decoction, Bolus, &c. or a Pulp may be made, as of Cassia; Dose from an Ounce to two. It strengthens the Stomach, creates an Appetite, resists vomiting, and cuts tough Flegm. An Extract is made thus: Take Tamarinds, boil them in fair Water, strain, clarify with the White of an Egg, and thicken by consuming the Water to a due Consistence. Dose from two Drams to half an Ounce. It cools Inflammations of the Stomach and Liver, Reins, Back, and seminal Vessels; is good in Catarrhs, Rheums, Eruptions of the Skin, salt and sharp Humours, St. Anthony's Fire, &c.