COCKLES. 183 
Cochineal insect is carminic acid. When infused in water, and 
pressed, the tiny bodies exude a liquid of the purest ruby tint, 
perfect and superb; but the dye taken from the second, and 
third sweepings of the Cactus is styled in the trade “ black 
Cochineal,”’ and is not worth more than one-fifth of the maiden 
product. Sir Edward Arnold, in stating lately that the insects 
fill themselves with ruby red liquid from the lobes, and fruit of 
the Nobal Cactus, was mistaken, seeing that its juices are 
colourless; and at Kew the director of the Cactus House 
represents his lack of acquaintance with any Cactus—Nobal, 
or other-—which yields a coloured juice. 
Curatively the Cochineal has long been a popular remedy for 
whooping cough, and it would seem that this confidence is 
justified by facts, Austrian experimentalists have found that 
large doses of the Cochineal dye will provoke a violent cough, 
occurring with spasmodic seizures, and with the characteristic 
in-drawing “ whoop” of the breath ; whilst much smaller doses 
afford singular relief to this distressing trouble when it attacks 
as epidemic whooping cough. The Cochineal insect also contains, 
besides fat, and carmine, a principle known as “ tyrosin.” which 
specifically affects the kidneys; whereby the medicament in 
much-reduced doses has effectually relieved cases of Bright’s 
disease, and kidney-colic, or congestion. The carmine is found 
in combination with phosphate, and carbonate of lime, muriate, 
and phosphate of potash, and stearine (the basis of wax candles). 
Rouge powder, used both on, and off the stage for giving a roseate 
complexion to the cheeks, is made by mixing half a pound of 
prepared chalk with two ounces of freshly-prepared carmine. 
COCKLES. 
THE Cockle (Cardium), or “‘ poor man’s oyster,” is, as is well 
known, a common, little, bi-valvular shell-fish found buried in 
the sand of our sea-shores, particularly at Teignmouth, and on 
the Norfolk Coast. If the shell is viewed “end on,” with the 
two curving beaks uppermost, it represents the shape of a heart 
(Greek, Cardia). The Cockle is discovered nearly all over the 
world. Its flesh is good, whether raw, pickled, boiled, or roasted, 
though very inconsiderable in quantity,—a pound of meat to a 
bushel of shells. This contains marine salts, gelatin, and food 
constituents of a salutary sort, with medicinal virtues like those 
