246 THE MICROSCOPE. 



whereas by the use of the microscope the differences of 

 structure in these two substances, as in many other cases, 

 can be promptly discerned. Out of thirty-four samples of 

 coffee purchased, chicory was discovered in thirty-one ; 

 chicory itself being also adulterated with all manner of 

 compounds. There is no falling back either upon tea or 

 chocolate ; for these seem rather worse used than coffee. 

 Tea is adulterated, not only here, but still more in China; 

 while as to chocolate, the processes employed in corrupting 

 the manufacture are described as " diabolical." " It is 



2 



Fig. 152. 



1, Radiating cells from the outer shell of the Ivory Nut. 2, Section of a Nut, 

 showing cells with small radiating pores. 



often mixed with brick-dust to the amount of ten per 

 cent., ochre twelve per cent., and peroxide of iron twenty- 

 two per cent., and animal fats of the worst description. In 

 this country, cocoa is sold under the names of flake, rock, 

 granulated, soluble, dietetic, homoeopathic cocoa, &c., fig. 

 148. Now, these names are merely employed to show that 

 they are compounds of sugar, starch, and other substances. 

 Unfortunately, however, many of the preparations of the 

 cocoa-nut sold under the names of chocolate and of cocoa 

 flakes, consist of a most disgusting mixture of bad or 

 musty cocoa-nuts, with their shells, coarse sugar of the 

 very lowest quality, ground with potato-starch, old sea- 

 biscuits, coarse branny flour, animal fat (generally tallow, 

 or even greaves), &c." 



If we look into drugs and pharmaceutical preparations 

 we shall find that nearly all the most useful and important 

 articles of the Materia Medica are systematically adul- 

 terated, often to an enormous extent ; so that it is impos- 

 sible to estimate the strength of the different remedies 



