INSPECTION' OF BEANS, 



A PERFECT FOOD. 35 



After giving an analysis of the cocoa bean, he goes on to say : " This 

 substance in its action is less exciting to the nervous system than tea or 

 coffee, and at the same 

 time it contains a much 

 larger proportion of 

 nutritive material. 

 Moreover, its flavor is 

 not lessened by the 

 addition of milk, so that 1 

 it can be boiled in milk 

 only, and thus produce a 

 most agreeable and nu- 

 tritious food. There are, therefore, many persons, states of system, ai 

 circumstances in which its use is to be preferred to either tea or coffee." 



Brillat-Savarin, from whose work we have already quoted, says time 

 and experience have shown " that chocolate, carefully prepared, is an 

 article of food as wholesome as it is agreeable ; that it is nourishing, 

 easy of digestion, and does not possess those qualities injurious to 

 beauty with which coffee has been reproached ; that it is excellently 

 adapted to persons who are obliged to a great concentration of intellect 

 in the toils of the pulpit or the bar, and especially to travelers ; that it 

 suits the most feeble stomach ; that excellent effects have been pro- 

 duced by it in chronic complaints, and that it is a last resource in affec- 

 tions of the pylorus. 



" Some persons complain of being unable to digest chocolate ; others, 

 on the contrary, pretend that it has not sufficient nourishment, and that 

 the effect disappears too soon. It is probable that the former have 

 only themselves to blame, and that the chocolate which they use is of 

 bad quality or badly made ; for good and well-made chocolate must 

 suit every stomach which. retains the slightest digestive power. 



" In regard to the others, the remedy is an easy one: they should 

 reenforce their breakfast with a patS, a cutlet, or a kidney ; moisten 



