Betel
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This article from the 1928–1930s Soviet Medical Encyclopedia describes betel (Piper Betle), a shrub widely cultivated in South and Southeast Asia. It details the widespread local custom of chewing betel leaves combined with areca nut, gambier, and slaked lime.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
BETEL, betel pepper, Piper Betle L., family Piperaceae, a semi-shrub widely cultivated in the islands of the Malay Archipelago, throughout the East Indies, the West Indies, and in Madagascar. Betel leaves contain an essential oil. The natives chew fresh betel leaves after wrapping in them pieces of ripe or unripe Areca Catechu nut and gambier, lightly sprinkled with slaked lime; finely chopped tobacco leaves are sometimes added to the betel. Betel chewing is extremely widespread in southern and southeastern Asia, where there are up to 200 million betel chewers (Levin).
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“Betel.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/betel/