274 A COMPENDIUM OF 
their astringent nature. The seeds of the The- 
obroma Cacao contain fat, starch, sugar, proteids 
and theobromine, the latter constituent occurring 
in a white crystalline form, and may be con- 
verted by chemical process into caffeine. The 
fat of the seeds is the cocoa butter of the stores, 
and obtained by expression. The chocolate is 
a mixture of the seeds, sugar, starch, cinnamon 
and vanilla. The chocolate is really a com- 
pound paste made up of various ingredients— 
generally at the will of the manipulator— 
and forming atable luxury much esteemed. The 
shells or testa are also found for sale as a substi- 
‘tute for coffee and tea. Whilst cocoa and choc- 
olate both forma basis of avery agreeable and 
nourishing diet or beverage, they are often 
adulterated, and if this be not the case they often 
disagree with people partaking of them, hence 
they are frequently peptinised or pancreatinised, 
to make the fat more easily digested. The name 
Theobroma is of Greek origin, and signifies food 
for the gods, 
Physostigma Venenosum, Calabar Bean. — 
Natural order Leguminosz Papillionaceze. Na- 
tive of Western Africa, near the mouth of the 
Niger river and Old Calabar. This lofty twin- 
ing plant is adorned with trifoliate leaves, the 
leaflets of which are ovate and acutely pointed, 
ornamented by pink flowers in axilliary ra- 
cemes, having 10 stamens; stigma hasa large sac 
or hood; fruit, a pod 7 inches long, moreor less 
curved and dehiscent; seeds, from 2 to 3, ob- 
long, inclining to a reniform shape, 1 inch (25 
millimeters) long, and about 3 of an inch (15 
millimeters) in diameter. The testais firm and 
