BY JOSEPH LAUTERER, M.D. 88 



thrown away, though I found it to contain at least 0*5 per cent, of 

 caffein in the dry state. So, in 1 kilogramme of ripe berries the 

 130 grammes of pulp contain between 0-6 and 0-7 grammes (10 

 grains) of pure caffein. When roasted properly the pulp yields a 

 coffee good enough for home consumption. The parchment is 

 used in Europe for mixing with roasted and ground coffee beans. 

 It contains, as is also stated in the books, 0*25 per cent, of caffein, 

 the 110 grammes of parchment in 1 kilo of ripe berries contain 

 4 grains of pure caffein. 



The cured Brisbane coffee beans contain 1*5 per cent, of 

 caffein, so that the 200 grammes of beans in the kilogramme of 

 ripe berries contain 3 grammes of pure caffein. One gramme is 

 contained in the pulp and the parchment, so that lib. of ripe 

 coffee berries contains 30 grammes of caffein. 



Of the cured Brisbane coffee beans 3312 go to a pound. 

 They contain 7 grammes, or 105 grains, of caffein. 



The coffee beans have to be roasted before they are used. 

 They lose much weight through this, so that 4600 roasted 

 Brisbane beans go to a pound. In spite of this, one pound of 

 roasted beans contains only 8 grammes (120 grains) of caffein, 

 as much of it is sublimated at a temperature of 380*^ C. If the 

 beans are put in a covered tin box immediately after the roasting, 

 the sublimated caffein can be seen on the beans after cooling in 

 the form of white silky needles, which have been mistaken for 

 mould sometimes. 



The caffein is a heart poison, accelerating first and then 

 retarding the action of the heart. A cat died in half an hour 

 after it was forced to swallow 7 grains of caffein. 



Besides the action on the heart the caffein is a stimulant 

 for the nervous system, and is said to favour assimilation and 

 to facilitate the breaking up of nitrogenous substances in the 

 body. The maximum single dose of caffein allowed in the 

 German Pharmacopoeia is 2 decigrammes (3 grains) ; whereas, 

 the highest dose for a day is put down as 6 decigrammes (equal 

 to 10 grains). No restrictions are given in the British Phar- 

 macopoeia. 



One cup of good coffee prepared from 10 grammes (150 

 grains) of roasted beans, contains just between 2 and 3 grains of 

 caffein, so that only one cupful would i^e allowed at a time under 

 ordinary circumstances. 



