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 layei-s. 



Chemical Composition — It is probable that the fruits con- 

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

 investi<Tating 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^ that they abound in pectin, 

 starch and mucilage. He found that when dried they afforded 2 to 24 

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

 magnesia. The ripe seeds gave 24 — 25 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 

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

 recommended as a substitute for that of AlthceaJ The stems of the 

 plant yield a good fibre. 



STERCULIACE^. 



OLEUM CACAO. 



Butyruni Cacao, Oleum Theohr<ymatis ; Caxiox) Butter, Oil of Theobroma ; 

 F. Beurre de Cacao ; G. Cacaobutter, Cacaotalg. 



Botanical Origin — Cacao seeds (from which Cacao Butter is ex- 

 tracted) are furnished by Theobroma Cacao L., and apparently also by 

 Th. leiocarpum Bernoulli, Th. peTitagonurn Bern., and Th. Sahm.an- 

 vianurii Bern.* These trees are found in the northern parts of South 

 America and in Central America as far as Mexico, both in a wild 

 state and in cultivation. 



History — Cacao seeds were first noticed by Capitan Gonzalo 

 Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdes (1514-1523), who stated® that they had 

 l^een met with by Columbus, being used among the inhabitants of 

 Yucatan instead of money. They were likewise pointed out to Charles 

 v., by Cortes in one of his lettei^s to the Emperor, dated Temixtitan, 



^ Joum. de Pharm. 22 (1875) 278. Denkschriften der Schweizerischen Gesell- 



- Archiv der Pharmacie, cxcv. (1871) schaji fur Naturxcissenschaften, xxiv. 



142. (Zurich, 1869) 4". 376. 



3 Delia Sudda, R4p. de Phai'm., Janvier, ^ Historia general y natural de las Indiaa 



1860. 229. islas y turra firme del mar oceano, iii. 



* Bernoulli, Uebersicht der hisjeM hekann- (Madrid, 1853) 253. 

 ten Artenvon Theobroma. — Reprinted from 



