Specification of Richard Abbey : preparing hawthorn leaves for making a beverage.

  • Abbey, Richard.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Richard Abbey : preparing hawthorn leaves for making a beverage. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Alley s Mode of Preparing Hawthorn Leaves for Producing a Leverage. in manufacturing or preparing the leaves of the plant commonly called in England by the name of thorn, in such manner as to dry them perfectly without destroying their flavor, with a view to preserving them for the purpose of making a beverage by infusion at any time when required; and in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Richard Abbey, do hereby 5 describe the manner in which the said manufacture is to be performed, by the following description thereof (that is to say) :— Having collected, say, a pound weight of the leaves of the thorn, (always preferring that species commonly called the hawthorn,) I carefully pick them over and cleanse them from all dirt and extraneous matter, as well as from all 10 other leaves that may by accident become mixed with them in the process of gathering. I then rince them in clean water, and afterwards, having drained the water from them, put them in their then moist state into an ordinary tin steamer, such as is used in kitchens, and steam them over a brisk fire till they change from their natural green to an olive color, or thereabouts, and have 15 lost all their elasticity, and become limp and flabby ; when in this state, and while they are still moist, I remove them from the steamer and spread them out to be dried upon an ordinary iron hot-plate, well heated, constantly and slowly turning them on the plate till they are perfectly dry. The leaves when so prepared will keep without injury, and may be put by for use. When it 20 is required to make a beverage of them by infusion, the ordinary mode adopted * in making tea or coffee may be used, and the infusion may be made more palatable by sugar or milk, or both, as the palate of the user may suggest. It is only necessary further to observe that the leaves should be gathered from the month of April to the month of September, both inclusive. 25 Now, whereas such my Invention being to the best of my knowledge and belief entirely new, and never before used within that part of His said Majesty’s United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specification 30 doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my said Invention. In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Abbey, have hereunto set my 35 hand and seal, the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one. RICH1’ (l.s.) ABBEY.