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serves and renders the enamel of the teeth more clear, and
destroys fetor arising from carious or decayed teeth, and on
account of its being slightly alkalescent, also proves a power-
ful remedy for removing incrustations of the teeth."

From Dr. James Lind, late
Head Hospital-Surgeon on the Bengal Establishment*

" The betel nut is called Areca by the Portuguese, Dutch,
and other Low Europeans, who do not understand the Hin-
dostan and Persian languages. In the latter it is called supa-
rey, having no soporific quality, any more than the fragrant
flower or betel leaf, nor have I seen it grow wild, or twine
round trees in jungles, in the many campaigns and journies
which I have made during twenty-five years, in the East
India Company's extensive dominions, and of our allies,
twelve hundred miles from Calcutta.
" The areca is most highly useful as the very best dentifrice
that can be used ; for since modern chemistry has discovered
the wonderful medicinal powers of charcoal, the areca or
betel nut charcoal must be superior to any other for a den-
tifrice, which I can recommend, having used it twenty-five
years.
" When I arrived in England, after a long voyage of seven
months, supposing my teeth wanted the aid of a dentist, I
applied to a respectable one in London, who was astonished
to find teeth so soimd in a person of my age ; and also ob-
served, that all the East-Indians who employed him, had bet-
ter teeth than the people of England of similar age, and
which I attribute to the use of the areca nut tooth-powder,

* Hertz, pages, 47 to 49.
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