186 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
chemical rays (blue, violet, and ultra-violet). This grand 
desideratum has been made feasible by the ingenious method 
of Dr. Finsen, consisting of a plain glass lens, with a second lens 
of curved glass, between which glasses is interposed a bright blue 
solution of sulphate of copper, by which means the heat rays are 
got rid of. Then the beam of intense cool light is concentrated 
on the diseased skin through a lens of quartz, which the nurse 
presses continually over the patch of morbid skin under treat- 
ment. In this way the offending microbes can be constantly 
killed off without discomfort to the sufferer, who has only to lie 
still under the process for an hour a day. This practice has been 
well tried, and produces marvellous results of cure. Long years 
back John of Gaddesden, a famous physician of his time, gained 
considerable renown for curing John, son of Edward the Second. 
who had contracted small-pox, by treating him with red light 
under such means as could then be contrived. He had the Prince 
laid in a bed with red curtains, red blankets, and a red counter- 
pane, giving the sick man some of the ruddy juice of pome 
granates to suck, and making him gargle his throat with 
mulberry wine of a like colour. This doctor, who died in 1561, 
wrote a quaint book which he called Rosa Medicine, containing 
curious old receipts for treating various maladies after the same 
fashion. 
COFFEE AND CHICORY. 
THE Coffee Berry, which we roast, and grind, for infusing as a 
stimulating, fragrant, refreshing drink, is got from the Coffea 
Arabica tree, which produces a fruit resembling a cherry, while 
the Coffee bean corresponds to the stone. This bean consists 
of two halves enclosed in a husk. Mocha Coffee, from Yemen, 
in Arabia, is reputed to be the best, being chiefly produced in 
Guatemala as both the “long berry” and the “ short berry.” 
Most “ Mysore” Coffee comes from Java, and Ceylon. Brazil 
Coffee is used for mixing with other varieties. By roasting, the 
aromatic, highly fragrant oil “ caffeol” is developed, to which 
the grateful odour of freshly-ground Coffee is due, and which 
is so powerful that a single drop of it will suffice to give fragrance 
to a whole room. One cause of the superiority of French Coffee, 
is its admixture with caramel specially prepared for the purpose ; 
another cause being the use of less water in making the beverage. 
