OLEUM CACAO. 95 



Microscopic Structure— A characteristic' part for microscopic 

 examination are the hairs of the fruit. They exhibit at the base one 

 large cell, but their elongated and often slightly curved end is built 

 up at a considerable number of small cells, without any solid contents. 

 The middle and outer zone of the pericarp shows enormous holes filled 

 up with colourless mucilage. In polarized light it is easily seen to be 

 composed of successive layers. 



^ Chemical Composition— It is probable that the fruits con- 

 tain the same mucilage as Althwa, but we have had no opportunity of 

 m\^stigating the fact. Landrin^ says it turns violet with iodine 

 .and yields no mucic acid when treated with nitric acid. Popp, who 

 examined the green fruits in Egypt, states 2 that they abound in pectin, 

 starch and mucilage. He found that when dried they afforded 2 to 2-4 

 per cent, of nitrogen, and an ash rich in salts of lime, potash and 

 magnesia. The ripe seeds gave 2-4— 2-5 per cent, of nitrogen ; their ash 

 24 per cent, of phosphoric acid. 



Uses— The fresh or dried, unripe fruits are used in tropical countries 

 as a demulcent like marshmallow, or as an emollient poultice, for which 

 latter purpose the leaves may also be employed. They are more im- 

 portant from an economic point of view, being much employed for 

 inickening soups or eaten boiled as a vegetable. The root has been 

 recommended as a substitute for that of Althcea.^ The stems of the 

 plant yield a good fibre. 



STERCULIACE^. 



OLEUM CACAO. 



y <^m ^acao, Oleum Theohromatis ; Cacao Butter, Oil of Theohroma ; 



-b. Beurre de Cacao; G. Cacaohutter, Cacaotalg. 



tracwn^^^^?^ Origin— Cacao seeds (from which Cacao Butter is ex- 

 n /.v ^^® ^"I'nished by Theohroma Cacao L., and anpai-ently also by 



Salzman 



America T^*- '"^^®^® ^^'®^^ ^^^ ^ound in the northern parts of South 

 ^^ateand^"^ in Central America as far as Mexico, both in a wild 



FemanT^^~~S^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^'^^ noticed by Capitan Gonzalo 

 ^^en mef ' ^^y^^"" J ^aldt^s (1514-1523), who stated' that they had 

 ^'^catan * ^^ -^ Columbus, being used among the inhabitants of 

 ^■> bv Oo^? .'^ ^^ money. They were likewise pointed out to Charles 

 ^ oues in one of his letters to the Emperor, dated Temixtitan, 



..l^ji'!/!!''*'^^- 22(1875)278. Denhschriften der Schwdzerischen Orsell- 



J42. '^ ^t^armade, cxcv. (1871) scliaft fur Natiiridssenschaften, xxiv. 



"^ '^la Sudda A>/^ ^ n, (Ziirich, 1869) 4^ 376. 



229. ' ^P- "^ ^ harm., Janvier, « Historia general y natural de las Indias 



Bernoulli XTeh^^ • t , , , t'*'^"^ V H^rra firme del mar oceano, iii. 



«=uy/-07wa.— Kepnnted from 



i860 



^""-4 



