CON′SERVE

Syn. Conser′va , L. Recent vegetable matter, as flowers, herbs, roots, fruit, and seed, beaten with powdered sugar to the consistence of a stiff paste, so as to preserve them as nearly as po ible in their natural freshne . Conserves are made both by the confectioner and the druggist; by the first as SWEETMEATS ; by the other chiefly as vehicles for more active medicines. The London College of Physicians now includes both conserves and electuaries under the general head of CONFECTIONS . The term appears, however, in some cases, scarcely appropriate. The word confection has a more general application, and implies any sweetmeat or composition in which sugar is the principal ingredient. See Confection and Electuary .