There seems to be two great evils following the excessive use of vinous Liquors; one of the Diseases they cause in the Head; the other their inflaming of the Blood; besides the Nausea the Phlegmatick parts occasion in the Stomach, or the Hiccough there caus'd by their sharpness, always following those who have drunk much. Some of these evils are the effects of the spirituous parts of vinous Liquors, and the other the effects of the Caput Mortuum, which remains after distillation of vinous Liquors in the bottom of the Still without rising, and it is a very nauseous substance.
Cool Drink made of Molossus and Water, Perino, Corn Drink, Cane Drink, that made of Sorrel or Pines, are all accounted unwholesom, they turning sower in twelve or twenty four hours, and owing their strength to Sugar, and fermentation they are put in to. Although I have known some people drink nothing else, and yet have their Health very well.
Acajou Wine, made of the Fruit so called, is very strong, keeps not long, and causes vomiting; 'tis reckoned a good remedy in the Dropsie.
Plantain Drink is stronger than any of the others, except Acajou Wine, though subject to grow sower in a short time.
For the better understanding what these Drinks are, it will not be amiss to set down the way of making some of them here, reserving the way of preparing others to their proper places.
To make cool Drink, Take three Gallons of fair water, more than a Pint of Molossus, mix them together in a Jar; it works in twelve hours, time sufficiently, put to it a little more Molossus, and immediately Bottle it, in six hours time 'tis ready to drink, and in a day it is turn'd sowr.
To make Perino, a Drink much used here, and in Gujana, or Surinam, and many other places. Take a Cake of bad Cassada Bread, about a Foot over, and half an Inch thick, burnt black on one side, break it to pieces, and put it to steep in two Gallons of water, let it stand open in a Tub twelve hours, then add to it the froth of an Egg, and three Gallons more water, and one pound of Sugar, let it work twelve hours, and Bottle it; it will keep good for a week.
The common fuddling Liquor of the more ordinary sort is Rum-Punch, to the composition of which goes Rum, Water, Lime-juice, Sugar, and a little Nutmeg scrap'd on the top of it. This as 'tis very strong, so 'tis sower, and being made usually of the Sugar-Pot bottoms, is very unhealthy, and because 'tis cheap, Servants, and other of the poorer sort are very easily fuddled with it, when they come from their Masters Plantations: this, as all other vinous Spirits, puts them into a fast Sleep, whereby they fall off their Horses in going home, and lie sometimes whole nights expos'd to the injuries ofthe
