SC - Alternative Drinks -Reply

[Decker, Terry D.]

> At 8:37 AM -0500 6/9/98, Norman White wrote:
> 
> >The one period document that I have on my book shelves which mentions
> >sassafras is Harriot (1590 edition) which has in the chapter listing
> >merchantable commodities a section entitled "Sassafras" which states:
	<deleted>
> >I referre you to
> >the book of Monardus, translated and entituled in English, The ioyfull
> >newes from the West Indies."
> >My memory (meaning I can not find my copy of the book I believe was
> called
> >Richard Hakluyt's "Principal navigations") is that the other reports of
> 
> I don't understant that final point. Unless we actually have a mention of
> the use of the Chinese version, why isn't the evidence consistent with the
> explorers coming across the New World version, being told by the locals
> that it was good for what ails you, and taking it up?
	<deleted>
> David/Cariadoc
> http://www.best.com/~ddfr/
> 
I'll agree with Cariadoc on this one on the basis of the evidence.

The Harriot mentioned here is probably Thomas Hariot , mathematician and
friend to Sir Walter Raleigh, who in 1588 wrote, A Briefe and True Report of
the New Found Land in Virginia.  The tract was pumped up to hype the Roanoke
colony and encourage investment and immigration.  This is the same document
that caused people to believe potatoes were native to Virginia.

Monardus is probably the Spanish botanist Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588), who
did a great deal of work with New World plants.  Genus Monarda in the family
Labiatae (mints) is named for him.

Richard Hakluyt's, The Principal Navigations, Voyages and Discoveries of the
English Nation was published between 1598 and 1600.

All of the sources are after 1492. The plant appears to have been found,
used and described early on in the exploration of the New World.  The fact
that the natives knew and used the plant suggests that as the reason for
early adoption rather than any tenuous link with China.  For an analgous
example, I would recommend looking at the history of tobacco.

Bear



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