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Cinnamon oil is a highly concentrated form of the popular spice. It was long used for healing and was thought to be useful to calm the stomach. Here, the Crosbys have made a cordial, which combines the spice with alcohol to make a liqueur. They recommend it to combat Cholera Morbus. Cholera Morbus was a particularly virulent form of Cholera (here spelled, in French or Spanish fashion, "Colera"). There were major epidemics of this water-borne illness in the United States in 1832, 1849, and 1866. But the word "cholera" often referred to virtually any disorder with similar symptoms, especially those with violent and prolonged vomiting. Cinnamon oil remains a commonly prescribed item in herbal medicine.

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