Fig
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
The fig is the fruit of the Ficus Carica tree or shrub, containing 60-70% sugar when fully ripe and dried. In medicine, it is used as a laxative in decoctions and syrups, and in folk medicine for gum compresses.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
Fig, the fruit of a tree or shrub Ficus Carica L., family Moraceae, cultivated along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in Crimea and the Caucasus. The fruit is false, in which the fleshy receptacle is developed, while the actual fruits with seeds (and previously flowers) are located inside. It contains 60-70% sugar, which forms only upon full ripening and drying of the fruit. Fresh figs contain starch and mucus. In medicine, it is used as a laxative in decoctions (10.0-15.0 : 100.0) and in the form of syrup as a flavor corrector; in mixtures in folk medicine, it is used for gum compresses. It is also used as a food. Roasted figs are used as a coffee substitute.
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Cite this page
“Fig.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/fig/